China's Amateur Radio Satellite organization, CAMSAT, has released some
details of three new Amateur Radio satellites that could be launched as early
as September. Two of the satellites, CAS-5A and CAS-6, will carry
transponders, and one of them will have HF capability.CAS-5A is a 6U CubeSat. It will have an HF/HF (21/29 MHz) mode linear transponder; an HF/UHF (21/435 MHz) mode linear transponder; an HF CW telemetry beacon; VHF/UHF mode linear transponder; a VHF/UHF mode FM transponder; a UHF CW telemetry beacon, and UHF AX.25 4,000/9,600-baud GMSK Telemetry. Transponders will have 30 kHz passbands, except for the H/U unit, which will be 15 kHz.
The tiny CAS-5B, weighing 1/2 kilogram, will be deployed from CAS-5A in orbit. It will carry a UHF CW beacon on an Amateur Radio frequency. It will be placed into a 539 x 533 kilometer, 97.5-degree orbit.
CAS-5A/B will launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
CAS-6, a 50-kilogram microsat, will include a VHF CW telemetry beacon; a U/V mode 20 kHz linear transponder, and AX.25 4,800-baud GMSK telemetry downlink. It will also carry an atmospheric wind detector and other systems that will operate on non-amateur frequencies.
A launch at sea is planned for CAS-6 from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The microsat will be placed into a 579 x 579 kilometer, 45-degree orbit.
CAMSAT has applied to the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) to coordinate frequencies for all three spacecraft.
