AMSAT Board of Directors approves Eagle communications payloads

AMSAT's Board of Directors met on 5th of October in San Francisco, California and approved the following Eagle communications payloads:

• A SSB/CW (etc.) transponder with uplink on U-band and downlink on V-band. System design has a goal that it be usable over 75% of the orbit by an AO-13 or AO-40 capable ground station.

• A SSB/CW (etc.) transponder with uplink on L-band and downlink on S1-band (2.4 Ghz). An AO-13 or AO-40 capable ground station will be able to use this payload.

• A low rate text message system, like SMS. It will operate on U/V-bands and be usable over 75% of the orbit by a small terminal on the ground.

• These transponders will be implemented using Software Defined Transponders (SDX).

Eagle will also carry an advanced communications payload (ACP). Using advanced signal processing and RF techniques, the ACP will allow:

1) Voice communications on S2-band (3.4 Ghz) uplink and
C-band (5.8 Ghz) downlink using a single 60cm dish. The satellite antennas will be electrically steered to reduce spin modulation and allow use over 75% of the orbit.

2) An additional, fix-pointed, uplink will be available at L-band. This L-band uplink will require a separate uplink antenna at the ground station.

3) High rate data communications, such as streaming video, using a 2m dish on S2/C bands.

4) AMSAT will develop and make available an affordable ground segment for the ACP SYSTEM.

Additional information will be posted on amsat.org in the near future.

The Eagle Design Team

Latest news stories..

• Get our news headlines for your website • Submit your news story