Tuesday, September 1, 2015

October Launch Date Set for Fox-1A Satellite


AMSAT has announced that its Fox-1A satellite, originally due to be launched from California in August, is now slated for liftoff on October 8. It will include an FM transponder with an uplink on 435.180 MHz and a downlink on 145.890 MHz.
 
In addition, NASA has notified AMSAT that its Fox-1B satellite is tentatively scheduled to be launched in November, 2016. Fox-1B will also carry a 70-cm/2-m FM transponder.
NASA photo


 On the topic of ham radio in space, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)program has announced that planning is under way to develop a new amateur station for the ISS Columbus module. According to the AMSAT News Service, the planned upgrade will include higher power and greater interoperabitlity with the ham station in the Russian service module.