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Launch of HAMSAT
Sources : ISRO News Letter.
In its ninth flight, ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle,
PSLV-C6, has launched India's remote sensing satellite, the 1,560
kg CARTOSAT-1, along with a 42.5 kg piggyback satellite, HAMSAT,
in a 618 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) today 5th May 2005.
For the first time, the state-of-the-art Second Launch Pad at
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR was used for a launch.
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From Left to Right: Hamsat, Dr.
Kasturirangan (Rajyasabha MP and former Chairman ISRO), Nagesh,
VU2NUD, Dr. Madhavan Nair (Chairman, ISRO)and
other dignitaries. |
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HAMSAT
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HAMSAT is a Microsatellite 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 satellite 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
Amateurs, with the expertise of ISRO and the experience of
AMSAT-INDIA. The second transponder has been developed by
Mr.William Leijenaar, PE1RAH, a Dutch Amateur Radio Operator
and Graduate Engineering student at Higher Technical
Institute, Venlo, The Netherlands. |
HAMSAT is India's contribution to the international community of
Amateur Radio Operators. This effort is also meant to bring ISRO's
satellite services within the reach of the common man and
popularise Space Technology among the masses.
This Satellite will play a valuable role in the national and
international scenario by providing a low cost readily accessible
reliable means of communication during emergencies and calamities
like flood, 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 for testing New Technologies. Some
of the new technologies being incorporated in the HAMSAT include
Integrated Processor based Electronic Bus Management Unit, Lithium
Ion Battery and Gallium Arsenide based Solar Panels.
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Salient Features
Physical : 630 mm x 630 mm x 550 mm Cuboid
Mass : 42.5 kg
Orbit : 618 km Near Circular Polar Low Earth Orbit
Structure : Aluminum Honeycomb Structure
Power : Body mounted Gallium Arsenide Solar Panels Lithium Ion
Battery
Stabilisation : 4±0.5 RPM Spin stabilised
Transponder Uplink : 435.25 MHz
Transponder Downlink : 145.9 MHz
Beacon 1 : 145.936 (Unmodulated Carrier)
Beacon 2 : 145.860 MHz (Morse Code)
Antennas : UHF turnstile, VHF turnstile
Output Power : 1 watt |
HAMSAT
This is known as VUSAT by Hams. This is Indian Space Research
Organisation’s (ISRO) theme-based micro satellite.
The HAMSAT micro satellite is India’s contribution to the
international community of Amateur Radio operators. This effort is
also meant to bring ISRO’s satellite services within the reach of
the common man and popularize space technology among the masses.
It is a cuboidal structure of 630mm X 630mm X 550mm with a mass of
about 40Kg. It has aluminum honey-comb structure with passive
thermal control. Hamsat will be flown in a near-circular polar Low
Earth Orbit(LEO). Body mounted solar panels and COTS (Commercial
Off The Shelf) Lithium-Ion batteries are the main source of power.
The satellite spins at a rate of about 4rpm with the spin axis
orientation being ± 3degs. Spin stabilization is provided with
on-board autonomy. Tri-axial magnetometer and Twin Slit Sun Sensor
with magnetic torquers act as actuators providing the required
inputs to the Bus Electronics. Bus Electronics consists of MAR
31750 processor. This system also provides for attitude control,
telemetry and telecommand for the satellite.
Communication for the satellite is on VHF (137MHz for TM and
149MHz for TC). There are two payload transponders – Indian and
Dutch. Dutch transponder was delivered by William Leijenaar,
PE1RAH. Both these operate in Mode-B with 435.25MHz uplink and
145.90MHz downlink. Indian transponder is identified by an
un-modulated carrier on 145.936MHz and Dutch transponder has a CW
signal on 145.860MHz. The output power is about 30dBm. Bandwidth
is 60KHz for the Indian transponder and 50KHz for the Dutch
transponder. Only one transponder is `on’ at a time. Antennae are
turnstile and are common for TM/TC and payload transponders.
Apart from MAR31750 processor-based Bus Electronics, COTS Li-Ion
batteries and Ga-As solar panels, other new technologies
incorporated are micro strip VHF 180deg. hybrid coupler, micro
strip 4-way power divider and negative-B dot law for attitude
control.
Programmed tracking of Hamsat will be carried out by ISRO’s two
stations at Bangalore and Lucknow. Launch will be from Sri Hari
Kota Launch range (SHAR). Hamsat will be co-passenger with another
of ISRO’s satellite called as IRS on a Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV).
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HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO ISRO, AMSAT-INDIA & HAMS
'HAMSAT' First Indian Amateur Radio Satellite.
The NIAR Governing Council, Members, and Amateur Radio community
would like to congratulate all the Officers of ISRO more
particularly Shri G.Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO, Dr.P.S.Goel,
Director ISAC, Shri K.Thyagarajan, Program Director, IRS & SSS,
Shri. J.P.Gupta, Project Director-HAMSAT, AMSAT-India, NIAR
Governing Council Member & Co-ordinator AMSAT India Shri Nagesh
Upadhya VU2NUD who is also a Senior Scientist in ISRO, Bangalore
Hams and others who are actively associated with 'HAMSAT' the
First Indian Amateur Radio Satellite. We also thank Dr.K.Kasturi
Rangan, M.P., Former Chairman, ISRO for his initiatives. Serious
and sincere effort was made by ISRO to launch the Flight of PSLV
on 17 October 2003 but it had to be postponed as in "Thermo-vacuum
test of HamSat, deviations in the performance of the HAM payload
were observed".
Indian Hams specially thank ISRO for taking the initiative to
support the Amateur Radio community and bring communication
technology to be accessible to the common man and benefit the
society with its use in Disaster Management.
NIAR has been corresponding with ISRO on Amateur Radio Satellites
since the days Dr.U.R.Rao, Chairman ISRO. We are happy to say
ISRO's Chairman & officers have all along been very sympathetic to
our cause and very supportive to the idea of putting Indian
Amateur Radio Satellite on LEO.
NIAR efforts to support and Indian Amateur Satellite program dates
back to late 1980's by actively participating in the AMSAT
conferences in UK, Germany and elsewhere. At one stage, NIAR went
on to sign an MoU with University of Surrey, UK seeking support
for Indian Amateur Radio Satellite program. NIAR made considerable
efforts to demystify Space Science & launching Amateur Radio
Satellite to bring latest technology tools and expand its
practical use and applications among the common people for
development of Science and Technology in the country.
As the resources required could not be directly arranged,
visionaries like J.R.D.Tata and others were approached for their
support. Late Shri. J.R.D Tata had taken personal interest to
explore the possibility of launching Indian Amateur Radio
Satellite with Tatas participation. This did not materialize
during his life time as many loose ends could not be fixed then.
Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi, VU2RG took keen interest and supported the
Indian Amateur Radio Satellite Programe as he had the practical
understanding on the subject as an Amateur Radio Operator. His
sudden demise put everything in reviews and delays.
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Mr. William Lijenaar PE1RAH (Right) holding the prototype of
his transponder with Mr. S. Suri VU2MY |
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Left to Right Mr.J.P.Gupta Project Director-HAMSAT, Mr.S.B.Ram
VU2LIC, Mr.Satyapal VU2FI, Mr.Nagesh Upadhyaya VU2NUD, Co-ordinator
AMSAT-INDIA, Mr. William Lijenaar PE1RAH, designer of Dutch
transponder for HAMSAT, Mr.S.Suri VU2MY,National Institute of
Amateur Radio, Hyderabad. |
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