HAMSAT
HAMSAT
is a micro-satellite for providing satellite based Amateur Radio Services to
the national as well as the international community of Amateur Radio Operators
(HAMs). Launched as an auxiliary payload along with CARTOSAT-1, the 42.5 kg HAMSAT
will meet the long felt need of the Amateur Radio Operators in the South Asian
region who possess the required equipment and operate in the UHF/VHF band based
satellite radio communication. One of the transponders of HAMSAT has been
developed indigenously involving Indian HAMs, with the expertise of ISRO and
the experience of AMSAT-INDIA. The second transponder has been developed
by Dutch Amateur Radio Operator William
Leijenaar PE1RAH www.qsl.net/pe1rah a Graduate Engineering student at Higher
Technical Institute, Venlo, The Netherlands. HAMSAT is India’s contribution to
the international community of Amateur Radio Operators
This
satellite will play a valuable role in the national and international scenario
by providing a low cost readily accessible and reliable means of communication
during emergencies and calamities like floods, earthquakes, etc. Besides, it
will stimulate technical interest and awareness among the younger generation by
providing them with an opportunity to develop their technological projects
including offering a platform. Some of the new technologies being tested in
HAMSAT include Integrated Processor based Electronic Bus Management Unit,
Lithium Ion Battery and Gallium Arsenide based Solar Panels.
Physical:
630 mm X 630 mm X 550 mm Cuboid
Mass:
42.5 kg
Orbit:
Near Circular Polar Low Earth Orbit
Structure:
Aluminium Honeycomb Structure
Power:
Body mounted Gallium Arsenide Solar Panels, Lithium Ion Battery
Stabilisation:
Spin Stabilized (4 +/- 0.5 RPM)
Antennas:
UHF Turnstile VHF Turnstile
Transponder
Uplink: 435.250 MHz
Transponder
Downlink: 145.900 MHz
Beacons
- 145.936 MHz (Unmodulated Carrier) OR 145.860 MHz CW Telemetry
Transponder
Bandwidth: 60 kHz
Transmitter
Output: 1 watt
Modes of
Communication: CW, SSB
Communication
Payloads for Amateur Radio Services
=======================================
One
Transponder developed indigenously involving Indian Amateurs, with the
expertise of ISAC and the experience of AMSAT-INDIA.
A Second
Transponder developed by Mr. William Gerard Leijenaar PEIRAH a Dutch Amateur
Radio Operator and a Graduate Engineering student at Higher Technical
Institute, Venlo, Netherlands.
UHF
Uplink, VHF Downlink
Transmitter
Output Power of 1 watt
Transponder
Bandwidth of 60 khz
CW, SSB,
FM Modes of Communciation.
=======================================
The
Microsat will provide two new linear mode U/V transponders for SSB and CW use
only. Only one transponder will be active at any given time since they are both
on the same frequencies. The uplink pass-band covers 435.225 - 435.275 MHz
(LSB), and the downlink covers 145.875 - 145.925 MHz (USB). An unmodulated
carrier has been reported on 145.936 MHz, and a CW telemetry beacon on 145.860
MHz.
Dutch
graduate student William Leijenaar, PE1RAH, who designed one of HAMSAT's
transponders, saw the PSLV-C6 vehicle carry the satellite skyward from SDSC
Sriharicota. "It was very interesting to see how my radio finally went
into space," he said afterward. "It is the best ham radio experience
in my life."
Ground
Control Automation
====================
A first
step towards ground automation by ISTRAC
A
Simple, Agile and Low Cost System that provides to and fro conduit for
communication between the ground station and HAMSAT
Programmed
Tracking of HAMSAT for its life, without any manual intervention (but for
updating of orbital elements)
Two
stations established and made operational at Bangalore and Lucknow to provide
hot redundancy and space diversity within a very short span of time of two
months.
New
Technologies on board HAMSAT
============================
Integrated MAR 31750 Processor based
Electronic Bus Management Unit for Attitude Control System, Telemetry,
Telecommand, Sensor and Actuator functions.
COTS
Lithium Ion Battery
Gallium
Arsenide based Solar Panels for a Microsatellite.
Microstrip
VHF 180° Hybrid Coupler
Microstrip
UFH 4 way Power Divider
Negative
B dot Law for Attitude Control.