AO - 40   SPECIAL BULLETIN

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 325.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, NOVEMBER 20, 2000
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: LANS-325.01

Although safely in orbit, there is much work to be done with Phase 3D before the satellite is opened for general Amateur Radio use. Initial housekeeping tasks are now underway to verify the health of the many complex systems onboard - followed by bringing these systems online.

As previously noted P3D is now in a transfer orbit used for geosynchronous satellites. To move P3D from this orbit the Arcjet motor will burn intermittently (at perigee) over a 270-day period, with final inclination and apogee adjustments made by the spacecraft's 400 Newton motor. "When these maneuvers are completed and three-axis stabilization is achieved, the satellite solar panels will then be spread out to receive full sunlight," said Haighton. "It is anticipated that at this time the satellite will be fully operational for use by Amateur Radio operators around the world."

ANS has received many inquiries from satellite operators around the world asking if P3D will be available for general communications in the near future. Although this is certainly a possibility, it is important to note that the P3D team is very closely monitoring the power budget of this new satellite, both in available battery voltage and current orbital parameters. These two areas will be among the most important factors that determine what happens with P3D in the near future.

The P3D command team has reported to ANS that after the initial establishment of communication following launch, a number of systems have been checked out and found to be working perfectly. The attitude control system was calibrated after finding a minor error in the magnet vector. By changing 6 bytes in pad's software, the proper vector has been achieved. Presently, Phase 3D's attitude is being changed to prepare for the first motor burn. This maneuver is currently proceeding according to expectations and should be completed in a few days.

Both S-band transmitters have been tested (S-1 and S-2), and both have been found to work properly. With pad's dish-antennas (for now) pointing away from Earth, signals were weak as expected.
The V-band beacon is currently transmitting PSS telemetry on 145.898 MHz. "P3D is loud," reported ANS principal satellite investigator N1JEZ, "even at apogee signals at my QTH are S-9 or better with no detectable SB." Along with telemetry, P3D is currently transmitting the following messages:

'This is AMSAT OSCAR-40, the international satellite to support science and education, Amateur Radio space communications and above all, international friendship.'
'ST, ST de AMSAT OSCAR-40 in memory of Werner Haas, DJ5KQ, vice president AMSAT-DL, 13-06-00.'

Stay tuned to ANS for additional bulletins from AMSAT, the official source for information on AMSAT OSCAR-40.

[ANS thanks AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-DL for this information]

AMSAT OSCAR 40  **STATUS REPORT FROM DJ4ZC**  (2000-11-20)

1. AMSAT OSCAR 40 had a perfect launch on Nov. 16 and was  injected into a nominal orbit.

2. Transmission of telemetry from OSCAR 40 on 70cm was expected 3h after launch. But we ran into a problem with the 70cm  Tx. Consequently the spacecraft was switched to use the 2m  middle beacon as downlink for telemetry. This required a "repeater program" in IHU-2 which was uploaded.

3. After communication was established, the health of OSCAR 40 was analysed and everything testable at this stage except for the 70cm Tx was found to be nominal and fine.

4. The attitude control system then was calibrated and torque operations were started to take the attitude to 270/0.  This reorientation should be finished in a few days. Then we are ready for the first planned orbit change (400N-mtr) resulting in 50000 km apogee altitude. The attitude will also allow a... thorough study of the 70cm Tx problem with the hi-gain ant.

5. The two 2400 MHz transmitters were operated and are ok.

6. Pictures from the separation sequence are being downloaded and will shortly be available on our website. There we will also show the test-schedule for some first amateur operations.

7. Steps after 1st orbit change: test the electric propulsion system and then use it to further increase appogee altitude using the arcjet before the big i-change.

 --73s Karl--