Amateur Satellites

 

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Amateur Radio has been associated with satellites for as long as satellites have existed.  News media coverage of Sputnik (the world's first man-made orbiting satellite) included reports from Ham Radio operators.  Most of the world heard the "sounds of Sputnik" directly from the speakers of Amateur Radio equipment, worldwide.  Suffice it to say, then, that Amateur Radio operators are extremely interested in the use of satellites as orbiting communications platforms!

Although there are many organizations devoted to Amateur Radio satellites, world-wide, I have not been able to find many authoritative links to up-to-date information about operational Amateur Radio satellites, their frequencies, status, and current mode of operation.  Here are some interesting links that I've come across, so far.  I won't put a link here unless it contains timely, informative information.  Most websites I've come across contain dated, less-than-useful information from years gone by.   I will try to keep this page CURRENT, and provide USEFUL information to you!

I would really appreciate receiving updates to this list.  (Especially links that are tailored towards the "newcomer" to satellite communications.)  If I can not find more detailed information, I will "roll-my-own".  Check back for updates!

NOTE: It is typical to transmit your callsign and "grid square" when operating over a satellite.  The Victor Valley is in grid square "DM14".  You will typically state your callsign, then your grid square, then your general location - such as "southern California".  If you happen to live outside of the Victor Valley, you can figure out your grid square using this interactive map.

 

SATELLITE-RELATED LINKS -

N1ASA's nicely-done "Down-to-Earth Satellite Communications" (a PDF download), a primer for "newbies" to Amateur Radio satellites!
A "why-didn't-we-think-of-that" Courteous AO-51 Operations Guide (a PDF download), focusing on etiquette and operational guidelines while working AO-51. Should be considered a "must-read" for all prospective Amateur Satellite operators!  Compiled by KB2HSH.
Understanding Two-Line Orbital Elements (TLE's). This is an excellent introduction to the all-important TLE's - the only way to know where a satellite is going to be at any given time
A very informative History of Amateur Radio Satellites website. Even though the site appears to have been last updated in 2006, it's a website about history (and it's very informative!), so it's worth including here
A very cool N2YO Amateur Satellite-Tracking website. (I haven't looked at this too much - just discovered it, and wanted to pass it along!) Note: The names of 4 microsatellites released from the same launch vehicle on 1993-09-26 appear to be "mixed up" on this website.
An excellent OSCAR Satellite Reception-Reporting webpage. This website allows actual satellite users to record their reception reports in real-time.  Use this page to verify that your favorite satellite is still operational.
The coolest-ever satellite-track visualizer - NASA's J-Track 3D!  (You will need to have Java installed and enabled in your web browser.  If you don't have it, the site won't work for you - try N2YO's site, or "Heavens Above", instead)
The venerable "Heavens Above", a website where you can find out when a given satellite will pass over your QTH, once you register (free)
Check out AMSAT-NA (North America)'s 2011 Bulletin Archive. Satellite bulletins for 2011, most recent reports at the bottom of the page.  If you want to receive these bulletins by email, you can subscribe to the "ANS" (AMSAT News Service) mailing list from this page.
A cool, Windows Mobile-powered satellite-tracking program, TrackSat/WM. Track your favorite Amateur satellites on your mobile phone!
Check out eHam.net's Satellites forum. Cool, active, timely satellite information, and HELPFUL ELMERS! (Yaaaayy!)

 

Satellite Name(s) "Spacecraft Name" NSSDC ID Launch Date NORAD ID Last-Known Status
OSCAR 1 OSCAR 1 1961-034B 1961-12-12 00214 1962-01-31 Reentered earth's atmosphere
OSCAR 2 OSCAR 2 1962-022B 1962-06-02 00305 1962-06-21 Reentered earth's atmosphere
OSCAR 3, EGRS-3 OSCAR 3 1965-016F 1965-03-09 01293 (Defunct)
OSCAR 4, COMSAT OSCAR 4 1965-108C 1965-12-21 01902 1976-04-12 Reentered earth's atmosphere
OSCAR 5, AO-5, OSCAR-A OSCAR 5 1970-008B 1970-01-23 04321 (Defunct)
OSCAR 6, AO-6, OSCAR-C OSCAR 6 1972-082B 1972-10-15 06236 (Defunct)
OSCAR 7, AO-7, AO-B, P2B, OSCAR-B OSCAR 7 1974-089B 1974-11-15 07530 2008-12-03 Sunlit-only operation
OSCAR 8, AO-8 OSCAR 8 1978-026B 1978-03-05 10703 (Defunct)
OSCAR 9, UO-9 UOSAT 1 1981-100B 1981-10-06 12888 1989-10-13 Reentered earth's atmosphere
OSCAR 10, AO-10, P3B OSCAR 10 1983-058B 1983-06-16 14129 (Defunct)
OSCAR 11, UO-11, UoSAT-B UOSAT 2 1984-021B 1984-03-01 14781 2008-03-17
OSCAR 12, FO-12 JAS-1 1986-061B 1986-08-12 16909 (Defunct)
OSCAR 13, AO-13, AMSAT 3C OSCAR 13 1988-051B 1988-06-15 19216 1996-12-06 Reentered earth's atmosphere
OSCAR 14, UO-14, UOSAT 3, UoSAT-D OSCAR 14 1990-005B 1990-01-22 20437 (Defunct)
OSCAR 15, UO-15, UOSAT 4, UoSAT-E OSCAR 15 1990-005C 1990-01-22 20438 2008-03-21 Beacon, only
OSCAR 16, AO-16, Microsat 1 PACSAT 1990-005D 1990-01-22 20439 2008-12-02
OSCAR 17, DO-17, DOVE, Microsat 2 OSCAR 17 1990-005E 1990-01-22 20440 (Defunct)
OSCAR 18, Webersat, WO-18, Microsat 3 OSCAR 18 1990-005F 1990-01-22 20441 (Defunct)
OSCAR 19, LO-19, Microsat 4 Lusat 1990-005G 1990-01-22 20442 2008-12-02 CW beacon, only
OSCAR 20, FO-20, FUJI-2, Sat-1B, Wisteria

JAS-1B

1990-013C 1990-02-07 20480 (Defunct)
OSCAR 21, AO-21 Informator-1 1991-006A 1991-01-29 21087 (Presumed non-operational)
OSCAR 22, UO-22,  UOSAT-F UOSAT 5 1991-050B 1991-07-17 21575 2007-08-06
OSCAR 23, KO-23, Uribyol, KITSAT 1 KITSAT-A 1992-052B 1992-08-10 22077 (Defunct)
OSCAR 24, AO-24 Arasene 1993-031B 1993-05-12 22654 (Defunct)
OSCAR 25, KO-25 KITSAT 2 1993-061F 1993-09-26 22828 (Presumed non-operational)
OSCAR 26, IO-26 ITAMSAT 1993-061D 1993-09-26 22826 2008-03-23 Beacon, only
OSCAR 27, AO-27 EYESAT 1 1993-061C 1993-09-26 22825 (No contact as of 2008-09-26)
OSCAR 28, PO-28 POSAT 1 1993-061G 1993-09-26 22829 2006-10-14 In commercial use. Promised for Amateur use (eventually)
OSCAR 29, FO-29

JAS 2

1996-046B 1996-08-17 24278 2008-12-02
OSCAR 30, MO-30 UNAMSAT-B 1996-052B 1996-09-05 24305 (Defunct)
OSCAR 31, TO-31 TMSAT 1998-043C 1998-07-10 25396 (Defunct)
OSCAR 32, GO-32 Techsat 1B 1998-043D 1998-07-10 25397 2008-12-02 Beacon, only
OSCAR 33, SO-33 SEDSAT 1 1998-061B 1998-10-24 25509 2006-09-04 Multiple system failures reported
OSCAR 34, PO-34 PANSAT 1998-064B 1998-10-30 25520 (Presumed non-operational)
OSCAR 35, SO-35 Sunsat 1999-008C 1999-02-23 25636 2001-02-01 Declared Defunct
OSCAR 36, UO-36 UOSAT 12 1999-021A 1999-04-21 25693 (Presumed non-operational)
OSCAR 37, AO-37 ASUSat 2000-004E 2000-01-27 26065 (Presumed non-operational)
OSCAR 38, OO-38, StenSat OPAL 2000-004C 2000-01-27 26063 (Defunct)
OSCAR 39, WO-39 JAWSat 2000-004A 2000-01-27 26061 (Presumed non-operational)
OSCAR 40, AO-40, Phase 3-D Oscar 40 2000-072B 2000-11-16 26609 2004-01-?? Catastrophic battery failure reported (Babelfish translation from German)
OSCAR 41, SO-41 Saudisat 1A 2000-057A 2000-09-26 26545 (Defunct)
OSCAR 42, SO-42 Saudisat 1B 2000-057E 2000-09-26 26549 (Defunct)
OSCAR 43, SO-43 Starshine 3 2001-043A 2001-09-30 26929 2003-01-21 Reentered earth's atmosphere
OSCAR 44, NO-44 PCSAT 2001-043C 2001-09-30 26931 2008-12-03
OSCAR 45, NO-45 Sapphire 2001-043D 2001-09-30 26932 (Defunct)
OSCAR 46, MO-46 Tiungsat 1 2000-057D 2000-09-26 26548 (Defunct)
OSCAR 47/48, BO-47/48 Ariane 4 Rocket Body 2002-021B 2002-05-04 27422 (Defunct)
OSCAR 49, AO-49, SAFIR-M Rubin 2 2002-058A 2002-12-20 27605 2003-03-21 Reported non-functional
OSCAR 50, SO-50

Saudisat 1C

2002-058C 2002-12-20 27607 2008-12-02
OSCAR 51, AO-51, OSCAR-E, AMSAT-Echo Amsat 2004-025K 2004-06-29 28375 2008-12-03
OSCAR 52, VO-52, VUSat Hamsat 2005-017B 2005-05-05 28650 2008-12-03
OSCAR 53, XO-53, SSETI SSETI-Express 2005-043E 2005-10-27 28894 (Defunct)
OSCAR 54, SuitSat-1 SuitSat 2005-035C 2005-09-08 28933 2006-02-18 Last confirmed reception
OSCAR 55, CO-55, CubeSat 1 Cute-1 2003-031E 2003-06-30 27844 2008-12-02 Beacon, only
OSCAR 56, CO-56, CubeSat 1.7 Cute-1.7 + APD II 2006-005C 2006-02-21 28941 2007-01-08 Limited modes
OSCAR 57, CO-57, XI-IV Cubesat XI-IV 2003-031J 2003-06-30 27848 2008-09-26 Beacon, only
OSCAR 58, CO-58, XI-V CubeSat 11-5 2005-043F 2005-10-27 28895 2008-12-02 CW beacon, only
OSCAR 59 HIT-SAT 2006-041F 2006-09-22 29484 2007-02-07 No longer accepting ground commands
NO-60 RAFT-1 2006-055C 2006-12-10 29661 2007-05-30 Reentered earth's atmosphere
NO-61 ANDE 2006-055F 2006-12-10 29664 2007-12-25 Reentered earth's atmosphere
NO-62 FCAL 2006-055J 2006-12-10 29667 2007-10-22
PO-63 PEHUENSAT-1 (Note: Like most AMSAT satellite-information pages, this one is out-of-date, but it does have some background info on this satellite.) 2007-001D 2007-01-10 29712 2007-02-05
DO-64 Delfi-C3 2008-021G 2008-04-28 32789 2008-12-02 Beacon, only
? CanX-2 2008-021H 2008-04-28 32790 2008-08-29
? CanX-6 2008-021B 2008-04-28 32784 2008-08-29
CO-65 Cute-1.7 2008-021C 2008-04-28 32785 2008-08-29
? COMPASS-1 2008-021E 2008-04-28 32787 2008-08-29
? AAUSAT-II 2008-021F 2008-04-28 32788 2008-08-29
CO-66 SEEDS, SEEDS-FM2 2008-021J 2008-04-28 32791 2008-08-29
Genesat-1 GENESAT 2006-058C 2006-12-16 29655 ?
ISS, ZARYA ISS 1998-067A 1998-11-20 25544 2008-06-06
RS-12/RS-13 COSMOS 2123 1991-007A 1991-02-07 21089 (Defunct)
RS-15 RADIO ROSTO 1994-085A 1994-12-26 23439 2008-04-03 Telemetry beacon, only
RS-22 Mozhayets 4 2003-042A 2003-09-27 27939 2007-08-06 70cm, only
RS-30 Yubileiny 2008-025A 2008-05-23 32953 2008-05-23 Multi-mode telemetry on 435.315 Mhz
Moz 5, Safir, Rubin 5 Mozhayets 5 2005-043G 2005-10-27 28898 ?
? Libertad 1 2007-012N 2007-04-17 31129 2007-09-06 Downlinks apparently failing
ANUSAT ANUSAT 2009-019B 2009-04-20 34808 2009-05-23

This page was last updated on 10/08/11 by Mike, KA9CQL.