• [AMSAT-UK] CHESS CubeSat Constellation to carry FUNcube transponders

    From AMSAT-UK via rec.radio.info Admin@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jan 14 20:18:05 2021
    XPost: uk.radio.amateur, free.uk.amateur-radio, rec.radio.info

    AMSAT-UK

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    CHESS CubeSat Constellation to carry FUNcube transponders

    Posted: 14 Jan 2021 04:26 AM PST https://amsat-uk.org/2021/01/14/chess-cubesat-constellation-funcube/

    CHESS CubeSat Credit EPFL Spacecraft Team

    In 2020, a project between AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-NL and Swiss universities
    started with the aim of equipping two Swiss satellites with a linear transponder for amateur radio.
    CHESS Three Unit CubeSat

    With a linear transponder, several QSOs can take place simultaneously. The satellites can be operated in CW/SSB with the simplest equipment. The satellites also include features for classroom demonstrations and
    experiments. In numerous teleconference discussions, the technical possibilities could be sounded out and the realisation prepared.

    The CHESS [Constellation of High Energy Swiss Satellites] project includes
    two satellites, which will be built simultaneously and later launched as a constellation. Both will provide a linear transponder for amateur radio
    use. The first satellite will have a nearly circular orbit at an altitude
    of 400 km. The second will have an elliptical orbit with an altitude of
    3501000 km.

    The satellites themselves are a project of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) with support from the Lucerne University of Applied
    Sciences and Arts (HSLU Institute of Electrical Engineering IET), the University of Bern, the Valais University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HES-SO), the Haute École Neuchâtel and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich. The amateur radio payload is a project of
    AMSAT-UK/-NL.

    On 18 December 2020, the successful system requirements review took place.
    The project coordination between CHESS and AMSAT lies with the Amateur
    Radio Association of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts Technology & Architecture, Horw.

    The Swiss AMSAT Operators provide information about the CHESS project at https://www.amsat-hb.org/funcube-chess/

    EPFL Spacecraft Team https://www.epflspacecraftteam.com/chess-1
    CHESS Three Board Stack

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