SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS002   
   ARLS002 Japanese Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads to Launch on   
   February 12   
      
   ZCZC AS02   
   QST de W1AW   
   Space Bulletin 002  ARLS002   
   > From ARRL Headquarters   
   Newington, CT  February 10, 2016   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB SPACE ARL ARLS002   
   ARLS002 Japanese Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads to Launch on   
   February 12   
      
   Three Japanese satellites - ChubuSat-2, ChubuSat-3, and Horyu-4 - carrying   
   Amateur Radio payloads are expected to launch between 0845-0930 UTC on Friday,   
   February 12 into a 575 kilometer, 31 degree inclination orbit. ChubuSat-2 and   
   ChubSat-3 are message store-and-forward Amateur Radio payloads. Horyu-4 will   
   transmit a telemetry in the 70 centimeter band.   
      
   According to Yasutaka Narusawa, JR2XEA, Nagoya University and Mitsubishi Heavy   
   Industries cooperated in developing the 50 kg ChubuSat-2 (JJ2YPN) and   
   ChubuSat-3 (JJ2YPO) microsatellites. They will head into space from the JAXA   
   Tanegashima Space Center. The Komaki Amateur SATCOM Club will operate these   
   satellites. ChubuSat-2 and 3 are piggy-back payloads on the ASTRO-H x-ray   
   astronomical satellite. Both satellites were built by Nagoya University   
   graduate students.   
      
   "The primary mission of ChubuSat-2 is to support ASTRO-H celestial   
   observations by monitoring radiations which can be a background noise for   
   onboard instruments of ASTRO-H in the same orbit and epoch as ASTRO-H," a   
   mission statement on the ChubuSat website explains. "A message exchange   
   service can be made publicly available to world-wide ham fans via Amateur   
   Radio system onboard ChubuSat-2. Furthermore, we plan to observe solar   
   neutrons, which were proposed by graduate students in the ChubuSat instrument   
   development project." ChubuSat-3 also will include a VHF/UHF message exchange   
   payload.   
      
   ChubuSat-3 also will include a message exchange payload. According to the   
   ChubuSat website, its primary mission is to observe the effects of global   
   warming, such as reduction in the size of glaciers. For this mission,   
   ChubuSat-3 has a high-resolution camera, which also will be used to observe   
   space debris.   
      
   After separation, each satellite will transmit a UHF CW beacon message,   
   including battery voltage and other data. Those copying the beacon message are   
   invited to forward the data via e-mail at, chubusat2@frontier.ph   
   s.nagoya-u.ac.jp .   
      
   After on-orbit checkout - possibly 1 month after launch - the message exchange   
   service will be activated. Users can send messages via the VHF uplink, which   
   are written to onboard memory. By sending an inquiry message, "anyone can read   
   your message with UHF downlink," the ChubuSat website says.   
      
   The ChubuSat-2 uplink is 145.815 MHz FSK 1200 bps; the downlink is 437.100 MHz   
   GMSK 9600 bps and CW. The ChubuSat-3 uplink is 145.840 MHz FSK 1200 bps; the   
   downlink is 437.425 MHz GMSK 9600 bps and CW. Details on the uplink/downlink   
   format have been posted in PDF format on the ChubuSat website at,   
   https://www.frontier.phys.nagoya-u.ac.jp/chubusat/Amateur_MSG_REPLY_format.pdf   
   .   
      
   Horyu-4 has downlinks on 437.375 MHz and 2400.300 MHz 1200 bps AFSK, 9600 bps   
   GMSK, S_BPSK, CW.   
      
   "Through the use of amateur frequencies, the Horyu-4 team would like to   
   inspire interest in radio communication, promote research on radio   
   communications technology, and participate to the skills   
   improvement of beginners in radio communications, including our own freshly   
   licensed Amateur Radio members!" an explanation on the Horyu-4 website offered.   
      
   Horyu-4's primary mission is to measure discharge current waveforms and   
   capture images of the discharges occurring on solar cells. The satellite also   
   has a Facebook page at, https://www.facebook.com/Horyu-4-Arc-Eve   
   t-Generator-and-Investigation-Satellite-780188535364868/ .   
      
   NNNN   
   /EX   
      
   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
      
   ... You don't have to give into temptation *every* time.   
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