A constellation
of new ham radio satellites was launched in late 2018, including one destined
for geosynchronous orbit and one that developed receiver troubles soon after
activating. AMSAT-NA's "Fox-1 Cliff" satellite, now named AMSAT-OSCAR
95, appeared to have suffered a receiver failure during the commissioning
process. The ARRL Letter says AMSAT
is working to resolve the issue but fears that the satellite may be rendered
unusable if controllers are unable to uplink commands.
Several other ham
satellites were launched on the same SpaceX Falcon 9 flight as AO-95 on
December 3, including India's ExseedSat (VO-96), Jordan's JY1SAT (JO-97),
AMSAT-UK's ESEO (FUNcube 4) and Polish student satellite PW-Sat2.
On November 15,
the joint AMSAT-DL and Qatar Amateur Radio Society's Es'hail 2 satellite was
launched from Cape Canaveral on another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Currently in a
temporary "parking" orbit, the AMSAT News Service says it will be
moved to a permanent orbit after several weeks of in-orbit testing. Once it
reaches its final orbital location over the Indian Ocean, the satellite should
be able to provide full-time communications for hams from Brazil to Thailand. This is the first amateur
satellite planned for geosynchronous orbit, meaning that it will appear to be
in the same spot overhead at all times.
