SumbandilaSat to launch this week

The latest information on the SA AMSAT web page says that the launch of SumbandilaSat is on track for 15 September 2009. Monitor the web pages at http://www.amsatsa.org.za/
index.htm for the latest information.

In an interview with SA AMSAT, Johan Erasmus, SunSpace systems engineer speaking from Baikonur, said that the satellite travelled well and that all system performed to specification during the testing phase.

Tests were carried out in the clean room at the Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan. "All payloads operated well and we were able to test the amateur payload from a little distance away. The parrot, voice repeater and the voice beacon responded well"

The voice beacon message was recorded by Anton Coetzee, at the time a learner at the Technical High School Kimberley. His message was selected from entries in a competition to find the best message with which to launch SumbandilaSat. It reads:
"This is ZSOSUM in space. I am the voice of the South African youth. We are knocking on the door of opportunity, marking our place in the orbit of space research and communication. Hear us!"

You can preview the audio message on-line:
http://www.amsatsa.org.za/Anton%20Cotezzee
%20Sumbandila%20Sat%20Message.mp3

During the week the butane propulsion system tank was filled and the batteries were charged. On Wednesday 2 September SumbandilaSat was integrated with the launch platform. The main payload, a Russian weather satellite, has also arrived at Baikonur and is currently being integrat-
ed into the launch structure. Next week the launch structure will be transported to the launch site and integrated with the Soyuz rocket. "With all now in place we can expect a launch on 15 September", Johan Erasmus said.

A few members of the SunSpace team will remain behind to give the batteries a final charge so that when SumbandilaSat is separated from the final stage of the rocket the batteries are in a healthy state and to remove the last of the protective covers.

The focus is now shifting to the ground station at the University of Stellenbosch where the satellite will be commanded approximately 30 minutes after separation and three hours into the flight.

An intensive period of payload qualification will follow during which each system will be tested. This is expected to take up to 3 months after which the command will shift to the CSIR's Satellite Application Centre at Hartebeeshoek, north of Pretoria.

Once the main payload, a Multi-spectral imager which has a 6.25m Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) with 6 spectral bands and is supported by an on-board storage of 24 Giga byte of memory and a main downlink of 72 Mb/s is fully put into service, will a schedule be set up according to which the various experimental payloads on board will be operated.

FREQUENCIES Mode VU FM voice Transponder and Parrot

Uplink 145.880 MHz
Downlink 435.350 MHz

Voice Beacon 435.300 MHz

AMATEUR OPERATION OF ZS0SUM PAYLOAD

• The details of the CTCSS tones will be made available after the payload has been commissioned.

• On receipt of a "X" CTCSS tone the control unit will command the satellite in the transponder mode.

• On receipt of a "Y" CTCSS tone the control unit will command the satellite in the parrot mode.

• If for a period no tones are received, the system will activate a voice beacon.

SA AMSAT website
http://www.amsatsa.org.za/index.htm

Amsat, Amsat-SA