Mexico-OSCAR-30
Satellite Summary
Name: Mexico-OSCAR-30 aka UNAMSAT-B
NASA Catalog Number: 24305
Callsign:
Launched: September 5, 1996
Launch vehicle: Russian COSMOS
Launch location: Plesetsk, Russia
Weight: 10.7 kg.
Orbit: Polar LEO (Low Earth Orbit)
Inclination: 83 degrees
Size: 150 x 150 x 150 mm
Period:
Digital Transponder - Mode JD
-
Uplinks: 1200 bps AFSK AX.25 Manchester Encoded
-
145.815 MHz
-
145.835 MHz
-
145.855 MHz
-
145.875 MHz
-
Downlinks: 1200 bps BPSK
-
437.206 MHz
-
435.138 MHz (Secondary)
Features:
-
41.997 MHz Long-Pulse Meteor Radar Transmitter
-
DSP Receiver
-
1200 bps AX.25 protocol store-and-forward PACSAT
Protocol Suite communications system.
-
Very Similar in construction and operation to AO-16,
LO-19,
and IO-26.
Status: Non-Operational
Description
MO-30 is the twin spacecraft of UNAMSAT-1
which was launched from Plesetsk, Russia, on March 28th, 1995. The basic
spacecraft was of the same design as the other AMSAT Microsats (including
LUSAT,
DOVE, WEBERSAT,
ITAMSAT
and EYESAT). Unfortunately, the launch failed and
destroyed the satellite along with TechSat, an amateur satellite built
in Israel by the Technion Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel (see
TechSat-1b).
The UNAMSAT spare parts were flown late last summer on a different launch
vehicle, also from Plesetsk. The satellite was deposited in orbit and transmitted
telemetry for about one day. Unfortunately, the launch was very cold, with
the satellite separating from the launcher with a temperature of about
-30C since the satellite was under the launcher shroud for a couple of
hours. Apparently, the crystal oscillator in the uplink receiver's 1st
LO never started oscillating, and the satellite was totally deaf. Because
there was no functioning uplink, battery charging parameters suitable for
the unanticipated cold temperature could not be loaded, and the satellite
ran out of power. Later attempts to revive it have been unsuccessful. (thanks
W3IWI).
MO-30 was constructed at the National
University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City by XE1TU and his students.
The UNAMSAT web pages are http://serpiente.dgsca.unam.mx/unamsat/unameng.htm
References
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Last update January 31, 1999 - N7HPR