Amsat		Amsat-UK

Information about AMSAT and AMSAT-UK

AMSAT promotes and develops space satellites and satellite payloads for Amateur Radio communication and associated experimental, scientific or educational work.

AMSAT is a global network of voluntary national and regional Amateur Radio special interest groups, of which AMSAT-UK is the United Kingdom Branch.

With its roots in Amateur Radio Satellites since the first launch in 1961, AMSAT was officially formed in 1969.

AMSAT has successfully helped to coordinate and launch over sixty satellites. The oldest operating AMSAT satellite is 29 years old.

For unmanned satellites, AMSAT organises launches for them. For manned space missions, AMSAT coordinates their payloads with space agencies such as NASA in the United States and Energia in Russia,

Since 1983, AMSAT has supported manned Amateur Radio missions when astronaut Dr Owen Garriott took the first Amateur Radio station into space on board the Space Shuttle. This developed into the SAREX (Space Shuttle) and the MAREX (Mir) Radio Amateur stations. There is now a permanent Amateur Radio station presence on board the International Space Station supported by AMSAT through the ARISS organisation.

Radio Amateurs were the first to perform intra-satellite communications now commonly used by commercial organisations.

Radio Amateurs pioneered remote positioning by satellite, subsequently used extensively in the marine industry.

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