OBSERVATIONS FROM Russia                            24th May 2008                                GM1SXX

 On the afternoon of Friday 23rd may 2008, a ROKOT vehicle was launched from the Northern Cosmodrome carrying three military GONETS (Messenger) store-dump LEO satellites and the experimental satellite Yubileniy.

According to the builders, the spacecraft central panel carries the DOKA-B equipment comprising the onboard computer; receiving equipment operating in 145 MHz band; transmitting equipment operating in 435 MHz band as well as the onboard radio navigation equipment. It is not clear at this time whether any transponders exist aboard Yubileniy.

 

Photo courtesy NPO PM

According to one source, Yubileniy  'was built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, and will be operated by NPO PM. It will broadcast audio and visual programmes on amateur radio frequencies, detailing the history of the space programmes of Russia and the Soviet Union, as well as signals imitating those of Sputnik 1.'

Some background on Yubileiny

Expect the downlink signals in the satellite segment of the 70Cms band. No official exact frequency data  appears to have been released to date, but Robert, G8ATE says the following on the AMSAT-BB

Hi All
I monitored the new Russian Satellite YUBILIENY this afternoon on a frequency 
of 435.315 +/- doppler object number 32954 matched LOS very closely. The Sat 
transmitted a mixture of cw,carrier and some sort of Digital FM? Regards Robert 
G8ATE .

 

 

Rokot launches three Gonets satellites

 About Yubileiny

 

Russian Launches for 2008.

http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2008/2008.html

 

73 Al.

GM1SXX