June 2009 launch for first Chinese Amateur Radio satellite

June 2009 launch for first Chinese Amateur Radio satellite

Michael Chen BD5RV reports that the first Chinese Amateur Radio satellite has been renamed from CAS-1 to XW-1 and is planned to launch next June.

On the AMSAT Bulletin Board Michael writes:

I just came back from a hamvention and met Alan, BA1DU there. The 1st Chinese amateur satellite is now going smoothly. This satellite was formerly named CAS-1 and is now XW-1. It takes a beacon and three cross band transponders: FM, linear, and digital.

The satellite is planned to be launched in June 2009 by a CZ-2C rocket in Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China.

Here are some details about upcoming Chinese XW-1:

Orbit: Sun Synchronous Orbit
Altitude: 499km
Inclination: 98 degrees
Period: 94 minutes

Weight: 35kg
Size: 550mm * 350mm
Temperature: -20 to +45C
Power: Li ion battery: 16Ah
Long-term maximum power: 8W
Short-term maximum power: 18W

Payload:
Amateur radio payload: 5.2kg
Youngster's experiment payload: 1.6kg
CMOS camera: 0.2kg

About amateur radio payload:
Beacon: 435Mhz, CW 20dBm
Linear transponder: RX: 145Mhz, TX: 435Mhz, 40KHz, 30dBm
FM Transponder: RX: 145Mhz, TX: 435Mhz, 16KHz, 30dBm
Digital store and forward transponder: RX: 145Mhz, TX: 435Mhz, 16KHz, 30dBm

145Mhz RX Antenna: 2dBi, 135 degree, LHCP, unpacked by remote control after entering the orbit.
435Mhz TX antenna: 2dBi, 135 degree, RHCP, unpacked by remote control after entering the orbit.




Michael, BD5RV/4


2005 CAS-1 information
http://ham-gps.it168.com/viewthread.php?tid=328920&extra=page=4

Google Translation
http://tinyurl.com/4dwwzm

IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination Page
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/

XW-1 page
http://www.amsat.org.uk/iaru/formal_detail.asp?serial=108

AMSAT Bulletin Board AMSAT-BB
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/maillist/








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No doubt the Chinese have the space thing right. They do a good job at it too. In the 70's we abandoned space travel beyond earth orbit because we had too much poverty and hunger in the US. Well 30 years later we still have poverty and hunger and we wasted 30 years we could have been advancing in space.

I recall the international interest in our accomplishments enough to suspend wars and disagreements and enjoy the moment. Man as a race needs goals that bring us all together for a common task. We can't handle peace, so perhaps reaching out to the stars may be a way to eventually dwarf our petty squabbles on earth.

If the USA is too myopic to see this, I'll gladly root for the Chinese to be successful.

 

Time to set up 2 meter antennae on my roof now.
The CZ-2C series rockets have maintained a very high launch success rate, all of the three manned space missions so far in my country are with this model. I hope we can succeed in with this one. XW stands for Xi Wang, or Hope.

 

Can't wait, looking forward to a new toy in the sky. Glad to hear transponder instead of repeater. The current FM birds get so busy, its hard to make a contact. By the time you get a chance to get in on a pass its usually close to LOS.

 

Looking forward to the new bird! I hope the launch goes well and I'm looking forward to operating it!