Graham, This is a significant accomplishment and the progress was very much visible due to the frequent updates by the project team. On behalf of AMSAT INDIA I thank AMSAT UK and the entire team of Funcube for their hardwork and also wish a successful launch,deployment and activation of the Funcube satellite.
73 Nitin [VU3TYG] Secretary, AMSAT INDIA >________________________________ > From: Graham Shirville <[email protected]> >To: AMSAT BB <[email protected]> >Sent: Sunday, 17 November 2013 1:40 PM >Subject: [amsat-bb] FUNcube-1 launch week has arrived! > > >Well it has finally arrived. Little did we think, back in 2009 that we would >not be launching FUNcube-1 until late 2013 but, at last, we are almost there. > >The past four years have been spent trying to find a suitable launch >opportunity, dealing with many legal and administrative issues, in addition to >finalising the technical requirements for the spacecraft. We also then had to >convert those requirements and ideas into reality. > >The core FUNcube team comprises of just about a dozen of us – radio amateurs >from the UK and the Netherlands together with software specialists from both >countries. A few of us even have skills in both the analogue and digital >domains! > >We have met on numerous occasions for “face to face” meetings over weekends >and held weekly Skype chats almost every Sunday evening. We have had highs and >lows along the way but the end result – FUNcube-1 our tiny spacecraft, is now >sitting in an ISIPOD on the launch vehicle ready to take its chances in space >on Thursday. Many hours of evaluation and verification testing of both the >Flight Model and also the earlier Engineering Model have been undertaken, so >we are as confident as we can be that we have done the best job possible. > >This mission could not have been carried forward without the efforts of the >team members but neither could it have been completed without the tremendous >support that it has received from individual radio amateurs and others and >other AMSAT groups around the world. > >Thursday November 21st 2013 is our launch day and most of the team will be >assembled at the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park to man a monitoring >station for at least the first two days following the launch.The first signals >from FUNcube-1 should be heard in Southern Africa and then in Hawaii and then >Alaska. After that, we hope to hear signals in the UK on a very low pass to >the east around 08:50 UTC. > >We are very grateful to the RSGB for their support in allowing the use the NRC >facilities which should be perfect for this operation. >http://www.nationalradiocentre.com/ Although it is not large enough to be >able issue an open invitation to everyone to join us on the day, we will be >trying to do our best to keep everyone in touch with what is happening. > >We will be setting up a webstream from the NRC using the services of the >BATC.tv server http://www.batc.tv/ch_live.php?ch=3 This should be available >from around 07:00 UTC on Thursday and will keep running for as long as we have >something to show. As well as shackcam views it will also have a breaking news >“tickertape” and some videos created during the development of the spacecraft. > >Additionally we will maintain a presence on the #cubesat IRC channel which can >be easily accessed by a web client from here: http://webchat.freenode.net/ > >Of course our own www.funcube.org.uk website will also be kept up to date as >possible and updates will be provided here on AMSAT-BB. > >So all we ask everyone to do now is to, download the FUNcube Dashboard, read >the guidance notes, register with the Data Warehouse and hang on for an >interesting Thursday. Oh and keep your fingers crossed. > >Very many thanks for your support! > >73 > >Team FUNcube >_______________________________________________ >Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. >Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! >Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > > > _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
