OSSI-1
OSSI-1 (standing for Open Source Satellite Initiative-1) is an amateur radio satellite launched in 2013 with Bion-M No.1. Bion-M was launched into orbit at 10:00 UTC on April 19, 2013, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with 6 small satellites, including OSSI-1. OSSI-1 detached from Bion-M at 16:15 UTC.[1][4]
| Mission type | Research/amateur radio |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 2013-015B[1] |
| SATCAT no. | 39131[1] |
| Website | http://opensat.cc/ |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 1U CubeSat |
| Manufacturer | Home made |
| Launch mass | 950g [2] |
| Dimensions | 10 centimetres (3.9 in) cube |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 19 April 2013, 10:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Soyuz 2-1a |
| Launch site | Baikonur 31/6 |
| Contractor | Roskosmos |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 30 June 2013 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Semi-major axis | 6,778 kilometres (4,212 mi)[3] |
| Perigee altitude | 263.0 kilometres (163.4 mi)[3] |
| Apogee altitude | 552.8 kilometres (343.5 mi)[3] |
| Inclination | 64.9 degrees[3] |
| Period | 92.6 minutes[3] |
| Epoch | 14 May 2013[3] |
OSSI-1 is the pet project of Hojun Song, a Korean artist and amateur radio operator. He worked on it for seven years, designing and building the satellite using off-the-shelf components rather than equipment that had been certified for use in space.[4] The most expensive aspect of the project was the launch, which cost US$100,000.[4][5][6]
OSSI-1 is a 1U CubeSat with 100mm sides, weighing 950g.[2][7] It uses an arduino microcontroller, a lithium-ion battery and a J mode UHF/VHF transceiver.[7]
The satellite has a Morse code beacon transmitting "OS0 DE OSSI1 ANYOUNG" on 145.980 MHz and 4 LED lights with a total power of 44 watts to flash Morse code messages, using an open protocol. The project developers announced on 24 April 2013 that they had not yet received a signal from the satellite and were concerned that the Two-line element set they were using to locate the satellite might be wrong.[4][7][8][9]
According to Korean amateur radio organisation KARL, Hojun Song had some difficulties launching a satellite as a private individual, connected to registering with space bodies and being allocated broadcast frequencies by the international telecoms regulator the ITU. A law requires knowledge of the launch date two years in advance which he was not able to give as he was sharing a launch with other experimental satellites. The amateur radio bands are nearly full but to use other bands would require more expensive specialist equipment and technical skills.[9] In 2011 OSSI-1 signed a contract with a French nano satellite company for a turnkey launch service in order to secure a launch date.[10]
The satellite re-entered the Earth's atmosphere on 30 June 2013.
References
- "2013-015". Zarya.Info. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "OSSI-1". National Space Science Data Centre. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "OSSI 1". REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "OSSI-1". Amsat.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "South Korean artist has high hopes for his homemade satellite". BBC News. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "Alpha Geek: Hojun Song, DIY Satellite Builder". Wired. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "Open Source Satellite Initiative". OSSI. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "OSSI-1". dk3wn. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO UNION REGION 3. FIFTEENTH REGIONAL CONFERENCE. Triennial Report from KARL (2009-2012)". KARL. 2012. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- "OSSI mandates NovaNano to secure a launch opportunity in 2012 for the first individual satellite" (PDF). OSSI. 21 June 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2013.