Picture |
Object
name #NORAD |
Description |
Launch
Date |
Weight |



|
Sputnik
1 Sputnik I 1957-001B 1957 Alpha 2 #00002 |
This
first man made satellite in space was launched by USSR
into an elliptical orbit with an inclination of 65 degrees,
a perigee of 238 km and an apogee of 947 km. Sputnik
1 needed 96,2 minutes to circulate the Earth. The
spherical satellite had a diameter of 58cm and carried
2 radio beacons transmitting on 20.005 MHz and 40.010
MHz. The batteries powering the transmitters had a lifetime
of 21 days. Sputnik 1 reentered the Earth's atmosphere
after 92 days and decayed on January 4th
1958. Recording kindly provided by Alois DL3PD.
|
Oct
4th 1957 |
83,6
kg |
On October
6th
1957 around 20:00 UTC Sputnik 1 was received on 20 MHz
by Bayrische Volkssternwarte in Munich. The recording
was kindly provided by Tobias Lindemann and Josef Huber.
|
This
audio file was recorded by Roy W0SL
in Dallas, Texas on October 7th,
1957 at 0457UTC using a military surplus AN/FRR3A HF
RTTY receiver tuned to 20.007 MHz. Thanks Roy for providing
this recording.
|
This
recording is from an unknown German ham-radio amateur.
It was filtered and provided by Don P. Mitchell.
|
An unknown
British SWL is commenting the reception of Sputnik 1
on October 11th 1957 at 10:58pm.
The original source of this recording is unknown. The
recording was kindly provided by Bill KA8VIT. (Please
note that this recording is 5MB large).
|



|
Sputnik
2 Sputnik II Physical lab PS 2 1957-002A
1957 Beta 1 #00003 |
Sputnik
2 was the first spaceship which brought an animal in
space. The elliptical orbit had an apogee of 1770 km
and an apogee of 320 km. Sputnik II circulated the Earth
in 103,7 minutes. Sputnik 2 was a three-part conical
satellite with a hight of 1.2m and was comprised of
the following sections: - a cylindrical container
for scientific equipment - a spherical container
for batteries, 2 transmitters and radiotelemetry systems
- a sealed cabin for the a dog named Laika Laika
lived for one week and part of the downlink telemetry
was her heartbeat. She died on November 10th
1957 when oxygen in her capsule was exhausted.
Sputnik II transmitted for 7 days on the frequencies
20.005 MHz and 40.010 MHz. Sputnik 2 decayed on
April 14th 1958. This recording
was provided by Alois DL3PD.
|
Nov
3rd 1957 |
508
kg |
 In June
2010 I received from Dick W4PUJ (ex WA4DGU) together
with a number of other unique audio recordings enclosed
recording of Sputnik II. Thanks Dick for providing this
recording.
|



|
Explorer
1 Explorer I 1958 Alpha 1 1958-001A
#00004 |
Explorer 1 was America's
first orbiting satellite. It was launched from Cape
Canaveral, Florida by an Army Jupiter C four stage rocket
into an elliptical orbit with an inclination of 33,3
degrees, a perigee of 320 km and an apogee of
2735 km. Explorer 1 circulated the Earth in 114,7 minutes.
The cylindrical satellite was 1.5m long and had
a diameter of 15cm. Explorer 1 featured 2 transmitters.
The transmitter on 108,03 MHz had a transmit power of
60 mW and operated 14 days, the transmitter on 108,0
MHz had a transmit power of 10 mW and transmitted until
May 23rd 1958. The transmissions
included information about the satellites temperature,
cosmic rays and micro-meteorites. In the second picture
to the left you can see a mesh of wires around the upper
part of the satellite. This was used to detect micro-meteorites.
Explorer 1 discovered the Van Allen radiation belt.
The batteries lasted about 3 months. Explorer
1 decayed on March 31st 1970. |
Jan
31st
1958 |
13,5
kg |
This recording
was made by Roy W0SL in Dallas, Texas on February 11th,
1958 at 01:00 UTC using a home-made VHF converter in
front of a National NC-300 receiver. This recording
was kindly provided by Roy W0SL.
|
Another
recording of Explorer I was kindly provided by Dick
W4PUJ.
|




|
Vanguard
1 1958 Beta 2 1958-002B #00005 |
This
is the oldest man-made satellite which is still in orbit.
It is expected to last about another 190 years before
it finally decays. This spherical Navy test satellite
has a diameter of 16cm and was launched by a Vanguard
3-stage rocket into an elliptical orbit with an inclination
of 34,4 degrees, a perigee of 640 km and an apogee of
4020 km. The satellite had 2 power sources: the first
transmitter operated from a mercury cell supply and
had a life time of 3 weeks. Thanks to the fact that
this satellite was the first using solar cells the second
transmitter operated 6 years and 3 months. On February
21st 1965 it was declared to
be no more recognizable as the signal strength had declined
almost to zero. The output power of the transmitters
was 100mW (on 108.0 MHz) and 50mW (on 108.3 MHz) respectively.
The antenna system was comprised of 6 whip elements
each 30cm long. They made one turnstile antenna and
a dipole. The telemetry transmitted was the package
temperature indicated by the difference between the
two transmitter frequencies. Therefore, the recordings
were made with the receiver Beat Frequency Oscillator
(BFO) turned on in order to produce an audible tone
heard in the recordings. Thanks for the audio-file to
Roy W0SL.
|
Mar
17th
1958 |
1.5
kg |
This recording
of Vanguard I was done while it was battery powered
and kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|
This recording
of Vanguard I was done while it was solar powered and
kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|
This recording
of Vanguard I was done after it was already 3 months
in operation and kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|
Vanguard
1 transmitted until February 21st
1965. This recording of Vanguard I was done after it
was already 1 year in operation and kindly provided
by Dick W4PUJ.
|
 |
Explorer
3 Explorer III 1958 Gamma 1 1958-003A
#00006 |
Explorer 3 was launched
by the US army from Cape Canaveral on a Juno launch
vehicle into an elliptical orbit with an apogee of 2809
km and a perigee 195 km. Explorer III was spin stabilized
and its payload consisted of a cosmic ray counter (a
Geiger-Mueller tube), and a micrometeorite detector
(erotion gauge). The satellites decayed after 93 days
of operation on June 27th 1958. |
Mar
26th 1958 |
14.1
kg |
Another
recording of Explorer III was kindly provided by Dick
W4PUJ.
|

|
Sputnik
3 Sputnik III 1958-004B #00008 |
Sputnik
3 was conically shaped and 3.57m long. It had 12 scientific
instruments and several radio systems. Enclosed audio
file was recorded at 20.005 MHz and kindly provided
by Sven Grahn.
|
May 15th
1958 |
1327 kg |
 |
Explorer
4 Explorer IV 1958-005A #00009 |
Explorer 4 was a cylindrically
shaped satellite instrumented to make the first detailed
measurements of charged particles (protons and electrons)
trapped in the terrestrial radiation belts. It was launched
into an elliptical low earth orbit with an apogee of
2220 km and a , perigee of 262 km. Explorer 4 decayed
after 454 days on October 23rd
1959. |
Jul
26th 1958 |
25.5
kg |
 These
two recordings of Explorer IV were kindly provided by
Dick W4PUJ.
|

|
Pioneer
1 Pioneer I Able 2 1958-007A #00110 |
Pioneer 1, the second
and most successful of three project Able space probes
and the first spacecraft launched by the newly formed
NASA, was intended to study the ionizing radiation,
cosmic rays, magnetic fields, and micro-meteorites in
the vicinity of the Earth and in lunar orbit. Due to
a launch vehicle malfunction, the spacecraft attained
only a ballistic trajectory and never reached the Moon.
The spacecraft did return some data on the near-Earth
space environment and ended its transmission when it
reentered the Earth's atmosphere after 43 hours of flight
on October 13th 1958 at 03:46
UTC over the South Pacific Ocean. Radio transmission
was at on 108.06 MHz through an electric dipole antenna
for telemetry and doppler information at 300 mW and
a magnetic dipole antenna for the television system
at 50 W. Ground commands were received through the electric
dipole antenna at 115 MHz. |
Oct
11th 1958 |
34.2
kg |
This
recording from Dick W4PUJ is most likely from Pioneer
1 but it could have been also from Pioneer 3.
|

|
Pioneer
3 Pioneer III 1958-008A #00111 |
Pioneer 3 was a spin
stabilized spacecraft launched by the U.S. Army Ballistic
Missile agency in conjunction with NASA. The spacecraft
failed to go past the Moon and into a heliocentric orbit
as planned. Instead it reached an altitude of 102360
km before falling back and re-entering Earth's atmosphere.
It finally burned up over Africa on December 7th
at approximately 19:51 UTC. The revised spacecraft
objectives were to measure radiation in the outer Van
Allen belt area using Geiger-Mueller tubes and to test
the trigger mechanism for a lunar photographic experiment.
A transmitter with a mass of 0.5 kg delivered a phase-modulated
signal at a frequency of 960.05 MHz. The total effective
radiated power was 0.18 W. |
Dec
6th 1958 |
5.9
kg |
This
recording from Dick W4PUJ is most likely not from Pioneer
3 but most likely from Pioneer 1.
|


|
SCORE
Project Score Chatterbox 1958-006A #00010 |
Project Score (Signal
Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment) was the first
American communications satellite which was launched
from Cape Canaveral using an Atlas B missile. The entire
rocket was placed into low earth orbit (apogee 1480
km, perigee 177 km). SCORE was an Advanced Research
Project Agency (ARPA) project carried out by the Signal
Corps with the Air Force providing the Atlas launching
vehicle. The total weight of the satellite was 3980
kg as it included the rocket, the payload itself had
a weight of 68 kg. The low earth orbit limited the
life expectancy of the satellite to only 2 to 3 weeks,
thus also limiting opportunities for realtime relay
between two ground stations. Therefore, a storeandforward
mode was added by including a tape recorder, which also
gave the satellite a worldwide broadcast capability.
There were actually 2 identical communications repeater
terminals integrated into the fairing pods of the missile
and the spacecraft's body acting as an antenna. The
redundancy proved to be a good idea as no modulation
was received on the carrier wave from experiment package
no. 1 which was transmitting at 150 MHz. However
experiment package no. 2 transmitted on 132 MHz properly
: voice and teletype messages were sent and returned
in real time, and also from its experiment tape recorder.
This tape recorder was loaded with new material 28 times
before it finally failed due to battery depletion. The
132 MHz all vacuum tubes transmitter had an 8-W output.
An additional tracking beacon operated at 108 MHz.
Project Score's actual performance was nominal with
experiment operation for 12 days, planned orbit lifetime
20 days, actual orbit lifetime 35 days. |
Dec
18th 1958 |
3980
kg |
Score
was the world's first satellite to broadcast voice including
a Christmas greeting from President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
His full message was: "This is the President of
the United States speaking. Through the marvels of scientific
advance, my voice is coming to you from a satellite
circling in outer space. My message is a simple one.
Through this unique means I convey to you and all mankind
America's wish for peace on earth and good will to men
everywhere." The transmission took place on December
19th 1958 at 20:15 UTC on 132.435
MHz.
|
This
recording of the tracking transmitter of Project Score
was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|
This
audio recording was apparently in a lab where people
were receiving the signals of Project Score and was
kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|
This
recording of the signal of Project Score contains stored
voice and was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|
This
recording of the teletype signal of Project Score was
kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|

|
Lunik
I Luna 1 Mechta 1959-012A #00112 |
Luna 1 was the first
of a series of Soviet automatic interplanetary stations
successfully launched in the direction of the Moon.
It actually landed on the Moon.
|
Jan
2nd 1959 |
361
kg |
This recording
of a Lunik probe was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
It is possibly from Lunik I but we are not sure. It
could be also based on transmissions of Lunik II or
Lunik III.
|

|
Vanguard
2 Vanguard II 1959-001A #00011 |
Vanguard
2 was an Earth Science satellite built and launched
from Cape Canaveral into an elliptical orbit with an
apogee of 3320 km and a perigee of 559 km. The
mission of the 50cm spherical and spin stabilized satellite
was to measure cloud distributions. Equipped with
infrared scanning devices to provide crude mapping of
the Earth's cloud cover and a tape recorder to store
the information Vanguard 2 made 211 orbits and and was
successfully interrogated 155 times to release the stored
information. Radio communication was provided by
a 1 W, 108.03 MHz telemetry transmitter and a 10 mW,
108 MHz beacon transmitter that sent a continuous signal
for tracking purposes. Both transmitters operated
for 19 days until the mercury batteries were drained. |
Feb 17th
1959 |
9.8 kg |

|
Pioneer
4 Pioneer IV 1959-013A #00113 |
Pioneer
4 was a spin stabilized spacecraft launched on a lunar
fly-by trajectory and into a heliocentric orbit making
it the first US probe to escape from the Earth's gravity.
It carried a payload similar to Pioneer 3: a lunar radiation
environment experiment using a Geiger-Mueller tube detector
and a lunar photography experiment. It passed within
60,000 km of the Moon's surface. However, Pioneer 4
did not come close enough to trigger the photoelectric
sensor. No lunar radiation was detected. The spacecraft
was still in solar orbit as of 1969. |
Mar 3rd
1959 |
5.9 kg |


|
Explorer
6 Explorer VI Able 3 S 2 1959-004A
#00015 |
Explorer 6 was launched
by USA from Cape Canaveral on Thor-Able launch vehicle
into a highly elliptical orbit with an apogee of 41900
km and a perigee of 237 km. The mission of this small,
spheroidal satellite was to study trapped radiation
of various energies, galactic cosmic rays, geomagnetism,
radio propagation in the upper atmosphere, as well as
the flux of micro-meteorites. It also tested a scanning
device designed for photographing the earth's cloud
cover. Each experiment except the television scanner
had two outputs, digital and analog. A UHF transmitter
was used for the digital telemetry and the TV signal.
Two VHF transmitters were used to transmit the analog
signal. The VHF transmitters were operated continuously.
The UHF transmitter was operated for only a few hours
each day. Four solar cell paddles mounted near
its equator recharged the storage batteries while in
orbit. Only 3 of the paddles were deployed. The expected
lifetime was 1 year, the actual operation was 2 months. |
Aug
7th 1959 |
64.4
kg |
This
recording of Explorer VI was kindly provided by Dick
W4PUJ.
|

|
Discoverer
5 KH-1 9002 1959-005A #00018 |
This recording
from a Discoverer satellite, possibly from Discoverer
5 or Discoverer 6, was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
Discoverer 5 decayed on Sept. 28th
1959. The Discoverer satellites were part of the Corona
program, the first series of US imaging spy satellites.
Each satellite carried a single panoramic camera and
a single return vehicle.
|
Aug 13th
1959 |
640 kg |

|
Discoverer
6 KH-1 9003 1959-006A #00019 |
This recording
from a Discoverer satellite, possibly from Discoverer
5 or Discoverer 6, was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
Discoverer 6 (also called Keyhole KH-1 9003) decayed
on Oct. 20th 1959.
|
Aug 19th
1959 |
783 kg |


|
Vanguard
3 Vanguard III 1959-007A #00020 |
Vanguard
3 ( the Vanguard TV4 Backup) was launched by a Vanguard
rocket from the Eastern Test Range at Cape Canaveral
into a geocentric orbit with an apogee of 3744 km and
an perigee of 512 km. The objectives of the flight were
to measure the earth's magnetic field, the solar X-ray
radiation and its effects on the earth's atmosphere,
and the near-earth micro-meteoroid environment. Instrumentation
included a proton magnetometer, X-ray ionization chambers,
and various micro-meteoroid detectors. Data transmission
stopped after 84 days of operation on December 11th
1959.Vanguard 3 has an expected orbital lifetime of
300 years. |
Sept
18th 1959 |
22.7
kg |
This 13
minutes audio file documents the successful launch campaign
of Vanguard III. You can hear the countdown to the launch
starting at T-330 seconds, the launch itself and then
the later phases: 1st stage
burnout at T+148 seconds, 2nd
stage burnout at T+265 seconds and finally the 3rd
stage ignition at T+550 seconds. This recording was
kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|

|
Lunik
III / Luna 3 1959-008A #00021 |
The lunar
probe Lunik 3, an automatic interplanetary station,
flew around the Moon. Recording kindly provided by Alois
DL3PD.
|
Oct
4th 1959 |
278.5
kg |
Luna
3 was the first
probe which provided the signals and pictures (see on
the right) from far side of the Moon. In total it took
29 pictures. 17 pictures were successfully transmitted
back to Earth. Recording provided by Alois DL3PD.
|

|
Explorer
7 Explorer VII S 1A 1959-009A #00022 |
Explorer
7 was launched by USA on a Juno launch vehicle from
Cape Canaveral into an elliptical low earth orbit with
an apogee of 1080 km and a perigee of 553 km. The primary
mission of this satellite was to measure solar X-ray
and Lyman-alpha flux, trapped energetic particles, and
heavy primary cosmic rays (Z>5). Secondary objectives
included collecting data on micro-meteoroid penetration
and molecular sputtering and studying the earth-atmosphere
heat balance. The spin-stabilized satellite was powered
by 3000 solar cells and 15 NiCd batteries. It transmitted
telemetry on 20 MHz (1 Watt into 2 crossed dipoles)
and on 108 MHz a tracking beacon signal. Useful real-time
data were transmitted from its launch through February
1961 and intermittently until August 24th
1961. The original expected lifetime was 20 years. |
Oct
13th 1959 |
41.5
kg |
This recording
of Explorer VII was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|



|
TIROS
I TIROS 1 TIROS A 1960-002B #00029 |
TIROS 1
(Television and InfraRed Observation Satellite), the
first weather satellite, was designed to test the feasibility
of obtaining and using TV cloud-cover pictures from
satellites. It was launched on a Thor launcher from
Cape Canaveral into an almost circular orbit with an
apogee of 753 km and a perigee of 690 km. A single monopole
antenna for reception of ground commands extended out
from the top of the cover assembly. A pair of crossed-dipole
telemetry antennas (235 MHz) projected down and diagonally
out from the baseplate. The satellite performed
normally from launch until June 15th
1960, when an electrical power failure prohibited further
useful TV transmissions. It sent down more than 22952
pictures of cloud formations, depicting the world as
man had never seen it before. |
April
1st 1960 |
123
kg |
This recording
of Tiros I was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|


|
Sputnik
4 Sputnik IV Korabl-Sputnik 1 1960-005A
#00034 |
Sputnik
4 (also called Korabl-Sputnik 1) was launched from former
U.S.S.R from Baykonur Cosmodrome into an elliptical
orbit with an apogee of 675 km and a perigee of 280
km. This first of a series of spacecraft used to
investigate the means for manned space flight, contained
scientific instruments, a television system, and a self-sustaining
biological cabin with a dummy of a man. The spacecraft
was designed to study the operation of the life support
system and the stresses of flight. The spacecraft radioed
both extensive telemetry and prerecorded voice communications.
After four days of flight, the reentry cabin was separated
from its service module and retro-rockets were fired,
but because of an incorrect attitude the spacecraft
did not reenter the atmosphere. |
May
15th 1960 |
1477
kg |
This recording
of Sputnik IV was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|
 |
Echo
1 A Echo B Echo Balloon 1960-009A #00049 |
Echo 1 A
is sometimes also called Echo 1 however Echo 1 was actually
it predecessor which failed to launch on May 13th
1960. The Echo 1 A spacecraft was a 30.48-m-diameter
balloon of mylar polyester film 0.5 mil (0.0127 mm)
thick and was launched on a Thor-Delta rocket from Cape
Canaveral USA into an elliptical orbit with an apogee
of 1678 km and a perigee of 1519 km. The spacecraft
was designed as a passive communications reflector for
transcontinental and intercontinental telephone (voice),
radio, and television signals. Its surface was used
to reflect 960 MHz and 2390 MHz signals. It had 107.9
MHz beacon transmitters for telemetry purposes. These
transmitters were powered by five nickel-cadmium batteries
that were charged by 70 solar cells mounted on the balloon.
Because of the large area-to-mass ratio of the spacecraft,
data for the calculation of atmospheric density and
solar pressure could be acquired. The expected life
time was 1 year and it finally decayed on May 24th
1968. |
Aug
12th 1960 |
76
kg |
This recording
of Echo 1 was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|

|
Sputnik
5 Sputnik V Korabl-Sputnik 2 1960-011A
#00055 |
Sputnik
5 (also called Korabl-Sputnik 2) was launched from former
U.S.S.R from Baykonur Cosmodrome into an elliptical
orbit with an apogee of 325 km and a perigee of 287
km. This spacecraft was the second in a series of
spacecraft designed to further the development of an
Earth orbiting system for the planned manned space program.
The spacecraft carried two dogs, Strelka (eng.
arrow, deut. Pfeil) and Belka (eng. squirrel, deut.
Eichhörnchen), plus a grey rabbit, rats, mice,
flies, plants, fungi, microscopic water plants, and
seeds. Sputnik 5 returned telemetry and TV images showing
the dogs' physical condition. Reported transmission
frequencies were 19.995 MHz and 83 MHz. After a
one day flight, the spacecraft and both dogs were successfully
recovered. Strelka (see right picture) and Belka became
the first living creatures to orbit the Earth and return
safely. I am searching for sound files. Please send
them to |
Aug 19th
1960 |
4600 kg |


|
COURIER
IB 1960-013A #00058 |
Courier 1B was a telecommunications
recording satellite launched by the US into an orbit
with an apogee of 1235 km and a perigee of 943 km. It
was a sphere with a diameter of 130cm and its surface
was covered with 19200 solar cells generating 62 Watts
which were stored in batteries. It could receive, record
on magnetic tape and re-broadcast voice and telegraph
messages at the rate of slightly more than 67000 words
a minute. COURIER IB communication system broke down
after 17 days operation. |
Oct
4th 1960 |
227
kg |
This recording
of Courier I B was kindly provided by Dick W4PUJ.
|

|
Vostok-3
No.1 Sputnik 9 Korabl Sputnik 4 #00091
(1961-008A) |
This
Space Ship Vostok-3 No.1 carried a dog named Chernuska
in space. Besides Chernuska also onboard was a dummy
cosmonaut, mice and a guinea pig. The flight lasted
for a single orbit, and a successful recovery was made.
Recording provided by Alois DL3PD.
|
Mar 9th
1961 |
4700 kg |

|
TIROS
4 A 9 TIROS-D 1962-Beta-1 #00226
(1962-002A) |
TIROS (Television and
InfraRed Observation Satellite) 4 was a meteorogical
satellite and launched on an Delta DM-19 rocket from
Cape Canaveral. |
Feb
8th 1962 |
129
kg |
Enclosed
signal of TIROS-D during its orbit #1782 was received
on June 12th 1962 by Volkssternwarte
Munich, also called "Satellitenbeobachtungsstation
Munich II". The signal was received on 136.23 MHz.
There is an additional time pulse signal inserted in
the recording which was kindly provided by Tobias Lindemann
and Josef Huber.
|

|
Ariel
1 UK 1 S 51 1962-Omicron-1 #00285
(1962-015A) |
Ariel 1 was built and
operated by UK and launched on an American Thor-Delta
rocket from Cape Canaveral. Ariel 1
was designed to contribute to the current knowledge
of the ionosphere and of sun-ionosphere relationships.
The satellite was a 62 kg cylinder with a 58-cm diameter
and a height of 22 cm. It decayed on April 24th
1976. |
Apr
26th 1962 |
62
kg |
Enclosed
signal was received on June 12th
1962 at 16:42 UTC by Volkssternwarte Munich which was
also called "Satellitenbeobachtungsstation Munich
II". The signal was received on 136.408 MHz. There
is an additional time pulse signal inserted in the recording
which was kindly provided by Tobias Lindemann and Josef
Huber.
|
Enclosed
signal was received probably on June 23rd
1962 at 02:10 UTC by Volkssternwarte Munich. Please
note that the satellite signal is the multitone signal
in the background. There is an additional time pulse
signal inserted in the recording which was kindly provided
by Tobias Lindemann and Josef Huber.
|

|
KOSMOS
5 COSMOS 5 2MS #2 Sputnik 15 #00297
(1962-020A) |
KOSMOS 5 was a scientific
and research satellite launched into an elliptical
low Earth orbit with an inclination of 49.1 degree and
a perigee of 192 km and a perigee of 1578 km. It decayed
on May 2nd 1963. |
May 28th
1962 |
280 kg |
KOSMOS
5 was received on June 23rd
1962 from 18:58 until 19:17 UTC by Volkssternwarte Munich
based in Sommerstrasse.
|
COSMOS
5 was also received on September 2nd
1962 at 17:42 UTC by Volkssternwarte Munich. Recording
kindly provided by Tobias Lindemann and Josef Huber.
|

|
TIROS-5
TIROS-E 1962-aa-1
#00309 (1962-025A) |
TIROS-5
was a meteorological satellite. It included television
cameras and returned 58226 cloud cover photos until
May 4th 1963. It transmitted
tracking beacons on 136.230 and 136.920 Mhz. It also
featured a 5W television transmitter on 235 MHz. Signal
on 136.230 MHz recorded on Dec 14th
1973 in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Jun
19th 1962 |
130
kg |
Signal
on 136.920 MHz recorded on Dec 14th
1973 in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Signal
on 136.920 MHz recorded on Dec 14th
1973 in AM by Greg Roberts.
|
Signal
on 136.920 MHz recorded on Dec 14th
1973 in FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Signal
on 136.230 MHz recorded on June 7th
1975 in CW by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Relay 1 Relay A
#00503 (1962-068A) |
Relay
1 was primarily a communications satellite. The spin-stabilized
spacecraft included in addition radiation experiments
designed to map the earth's radiation belts. Signals
recorded on 136.140 MHz in the time between March 1964
and February 1965 by Greg Roberts in Durban.
|
Dec 13th
1962 |
170 kg |

|
TIROS-7 TIROS-G
#00604 (1963-024A) |
TIROS
7 (Television and InfraRed Observation Satellite) was
a spin-stabilized meteorological spacecraft designed
to test experimental television techniques and infrared
equipment. Signal received either on 136.234 MHz or
136.922 MHz in the time between March 1964 and February
1965 by Greg Roberts un Durban.
|
Jun 19th
1963 |
135 kg |

|
Radose
Transit 5E1 SN39 #0671 (1963-038C) |
This
satellite also called Radiation Sat measured energetic
charged particles, magnetic fields, the solar spectrum,
and acquired geodetic data. It transmitted in 136, 162
and 324 MHz bands. The last data were transmitted during
November 1974. Recorded on July 2nd
1972 on 136.651 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Sept 28th
1963 |
59kg ? |
Radose
recorded on Oct 24th 1973 on
136.651 MHz in CW/AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Relay 2
#00737 (1964-003A) |
Relay
2 was primary a communications satellite but carried
also a particle experiment. Recorded in frequency band
136-138 MHz using an SSB receiver by Greg Roberts sometime
in the year 1974 or 1975.
|
Jan 21st
1964 |
184 kg |
Relay
2 transmitted on two frequencies 136.140 MHz and 136.620
MHz. Multiple recordings were made on Dec 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts. First recording was 136.620 MHz
in CW.
|
Second
recording was on 136.620 MHz in AM on Dec 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
Third
recording was on 136.140 MHz in CW on Dec 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
Fourth
recording was again recorded in CW on Dec 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
Fifth
recording was recorded in FM on Dec 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
Sixth
recording was finally recorded in CW and AM on Oct 24th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Echo 2 Echo C
#00740 (1964-004A) |
Echo
2 was a 41-m balloon of aluminum foil-mylar laminate.
It decayed on June 7th 1969.
Its surface was used to reflect 162 MHz signals back
to Earth and thus act as a passive repeater. Echo 2
was the first joint space mission of the USA and of
the USSR. The Echo 2 beacon signal enclosed was recorded
either on 136.020 MHz or 136.170 MHz in various modes
in the time between March 1964 and February 1965 by
Greg Roberts in Durban.
|
Jan 25th
1964 |
256 kg |

|
Ariel
2 S 52 S 52A UK 2 UK-C #00771
(1964-015A) |
Ariel
2 carried 3 British experiments to measure galactic
radio noise. Echo 2 beacon recorded on 136.557 MHz in
the time between March 1964 and February 1965 by Greg
Roberts in Durban.
|
Mar 27th
1964 |
68 kg |

|
Transit
5B-5 Transit O-2 NNSS 30020 #00965 (1964-083D) |
Radiation
satellite. Studied magnetic field, celestial field,
ultraviolet data. This satellite was still transmitting
in mid 2007 and thus is probably the oldest satellite
still transmitting. The sequence of tones has speeded
up quite considerably over time. He transmits on 136.651
MHz in a SSB/FM multiplex mode. Signals enclosed were
recorded first in AM and then in FM mode. Recorded on
Dec 14th 1973 on 136.650 MHz
by Greg Roberts.
|
Dec. 13th
1964 |
60 kg |
The next
4 recording were made on June 19th
1999 on 136.650 MHz by Greg Roberts. He used a turnstile
antenna at about 10 meters above ground followed by
a low noise pre-amplifier with 20dB gain and about 1
dB noise figure. The first recording used the CW/SSB
mode of the receiver with a bandwidth of 2.4 kHz.
|
The second
file was also recorded using the CW/SSB mode with 2.4
kHz bandwidth. Since the satellite signal is quite broad
(>30 kHz) one can easily hear several carriers when
using this mode of reception.
|
Here
Greg Roberts used a narrower (0.8 kHz) bandwidth filter
to record the signal in CW/SSB mode. This bandwidth
is recommended for very faint satellites since it cuts
down the background noise.
|
This
signal was recorded using the FM detector of the receiver
with a bandwidth of approx. 25 to 30 kHz. Although the
FM modulation of Transit 5B-5 is very low, one can easily
hear the tones. Compare this to the CW/SSB recordings
and it should be very obvious why any serious radio
satellite tracker should have the capability of receiving
CW or SSB modes. FM is not suitable for weak signals.
Recorded by Greg Roberts.
|
Transit
5B-5 recorded on Oct 24th 1973
on 136.50 MHz in AM/CW mixed by Greg Roberts.
|
More
than 46 years after its launch Transit 5B-5 was received
and recorded on March 26th
2011 at 11:07 UTC on 136.645 MHz in USB by Patrick Hajagos.
|

|
Pegasus
1 #01085 (1965-009A) |
Pegaus
1 transmitted on 136.440 MHz data and on 136.89 MHz
a beacon signal. Beacon signal recorded in February
1965 by Greg Roberts in Durban.
|
Feb 16th
1965 |
1452 kg |
Pegasus
1 transmitted only as long as it was in sunlight. Recorded
on 136.890 MHz using an SSB receiver end of October
1974 by Greg Roberts.
|
This
recording was done on October 29th
1974 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
GGSE-3
#01292 (1965-016C) |
GGSE-3
(Gravity Gradient Stabilization Experiment 3) was a
small military satellite. Its design and deployment
techniques were later applied to the NOSS / Whitecloud
reconnaissance satellites. Recorded on 136.776 MHz in
March 1965 by Greg Roberts.
|
Mar 9th
1965 |
4 kg |

|
SECOR 3 EGRS-3
#01208 (1965-016E) |
SECOR
is an acronym for Sequential Correlation of Range and
is basically an electronic distance measuring system
in which four ground stations sequentially interrogate
a satellite-borne transponder. It was used by the US
Army Map service from 1964 onwards. Early satellites
transmitted on two carrier frequencies, namely 224.5
MHz and 449 MHz. Recorded first in AM and then in FM
on 136.840 MHz on Dec 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
Mar 9th
1965 |
18 kg |

|
SOLRAD
7B GRAB 6 #01291 (1965-016D) |
The US
satellite Solrad 7B was also called GRAB (Galactic Radiation
Experimental Background ) and was officially instrumented
to detect the solar X-ray emission. The
first GRAB satellite was launched in 1960. However its
receivers were used to catalogue the waveforms and pulse
repetition frequencies of Soviet air defense radars.
The basic concept of operation is shown in the diagram
to the right. Recorded on 136.800 MHz in AM/FM by Mike
D. Kenny.
|
Mar 9th
1965 |
47 kg |

|
Beacon
C (Explorer 27) #01328 (1965-032A) |
Explorer
27 was also called Beacon C and investigated the ionosphere.
It transmitted on 136.740 MHz. Recorded June 7th
1975 in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Apr
29th 1965 |
60
kg |
Recorded
June 7th 1975 in FM by Greg
Roberts.
|
Recorded
June 7th 1975 in FM by Greg
Roberts.
|
Recorded
May 17th 1972 on 136.740 MHz
by Greg Roberts.
|
Explorer
27 recorded on Oct 24th 1973
on 136.740 MHz in AM mode by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Pegasus
2 #01381 (1965-039A) |
Pegasus
2 was a huge scientific satellite for the observation
of meteorites. It transmitted on 136.410 MHz (data)
and 136.890 MHz (telemetry and tracking beacon). Recorded
on October 15th 1973 in AM
most likely on 136.890 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
May 25th
1965 |
10500 kg |
Pegasus
2 CW transmission increased suddenly whenever the satellite
entered the shadow of the Earth. This can be heard nicely
on this recording in CW mode on October 24th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
TIROS-10
#01430 (1965-051A) |
TIROS-10
was a meteorological satellite. Advanced vidicon camera
system (AVCS). Transmitted tracking signal with 50 mW
on 136.230 (increased over lifetime to 136.235 MHz)
and 136.920 MHz. AVCS transmission with 2 W on 235 MHz.
Recording made on Dec 14th
1973 on unknown frequency by Greg Roberts.
|
July 2nd
1965 |
138 kg |
Recording
made on Dec 14th 1973 on 136.230
MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Recording
made on Dec 14th 1973 on 136.920
MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
TIROS-10
transmitted a continuous tone on both frequencies, 136.230
and 136.920 MHz, recorded on Oct. 24th
1973 in CW and AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Pegasus 3 Saturn
SA-10 #01467 (1965-060A) |
In its
stored position with panels folded inside the Apollo
service module Pegasus 3 was 5.3 m high, 2.1 m wide,
and only 28 cm deep. The spacecraft was equipped with
appendages like wings which extended to form a huge
plane 29.3 m long and 4.3 m wide. Pegasus 3 transmitted
on 136.410 MHz (data) and 136.890 MHz (telemetry and
tracking beacon) and sounded like the previous 2 Pegasus
satellites. This signal is probably the beacon on 136.89
MHz and was recorded in the time between March 1964
and February 1965 by Greg Roberts in Durban.
|
Jul 30th
1965 |
1452 kg |

|
GEOS 1 GEOS A
Explorer 29 #01726 (1965-089A) |
GEOS
1 (Geodetic Earth Orbiting Satellite) was a gravity-gradient-stabilized,
solar-cell powered satellite targeted for geodetic studies..
Recorded on 136.83 MHz in the time between November
1965 and Spring 1966 by Greg Roberts in Durban.
|
Nov 6th
1965 |
387 kg |

|
ESSA 2 OT 2
#02091 (1965-016A) |
ESSA
2 was a meteorological satellite providing real-time
earth cloud-cover TV pictures for use in weather analysis
and forecasting. It transmitted telemetry on 136.500
MHz and a tracking beacon signal on 136.770 MHz. Recorded
on 136.770 MHz in spring 1966 by Greg Roberts in Durban.
|
Feb 28th
1966 |
286 kg |

|
COSMOS 114 Zenit-4
#02133
(1966-028A) |
2nd
Generation high resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite. This FSK-PDM signal was recorded on 19.995
MHz on April 8th 1966 by Sven
Grahn.
|
Apr 6th
1966 |
4730 kg |

|
SECOR 7
EGRS-7 #02411 (1966-077B) |
EGRS-7
was a similar type satellite to the SECOR satellites
using the same telemetry format. Frequency was 136.800
MHz. Recorded on Dec 14th 1973
by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug 19th
1966 |
17 kg |
EGRS-7
was recorded on Oct 24th 1973
in AM mode by Greg Roberts.
|

|
ERS 15 #02412
(1966-077C) |
ERS (Environmental
Research Satellite) was an Air force technology satellite
also known as Octahedron Research Satellite (ORS-1).
Was launched together with and ejected by MIDAS-11 (1966-077A).
Recorded on 137.800 MHz using an SSB receiver by Greg
Roberts.
|
Aug 19th
1966 |
4.5 kg |

|
SECOR 8
EGRS-8 #02520 (1966-089B) |
The SECOR
(Sequential Correlation of Range) series of satellites
were used for US Military mapping purposes. Recorded
first in SSB and then in AM on 136.830 MHz on Dec 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
Oct 5th
1966 |
17 kg |
Recorded
on May 17th 1972 on 136.830
MHz by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Intelsat
2F-1 Atlantic 1 Canary Bird Intelsat 2A
Lanny Bird 2F1 #02514 (1966-096A) |
Commercial
Communication Satellite of COMSAT Corporation. Did not
reach final orbit due to a failure in the apogee motor.
However was still used to transmit live television and
other communications traffic. Used 2 redundant repeaters
with 125 MHz bandwidth supporting 240 two-way telephone
circuits or one TV channel. Telemetry system used two
encoders, two VHF transmitters, eight whip antennas
as well as a 4 GHz beacon. The beacon signals were transmitted
continuously and modulated with telemetry signals. Recorded
in frequency band 136-138 MHz using an SSB receiver
by Greg Roberts.
|
Oct
26th 1966 |
355
kg |
Recorded
on Aug 2nd 1972 in CW by Greg
Roberts.
|
Intelsat
2F-1 stranded in an elliptical 3360 x 37038 km orbit.
Recorded twice on October 24th
1973 on 136.440 MHz in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
in excellent quality on September 2nd
1975 on 136.440 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|

|
OV1-9 FARO 1
Manifold #02610 (1966-111A) |
OV1-9
performed radiation bio-hazard experiments. Recorded
on August 2nd 1972 on 136.620
MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Dec 11th
1966 |
104 kg |

|
ERS 20
(OV5-3) #02768 (1967-040D) |
This
military radiation research satellite conducted material
studies to determine the effect of the space environment
on metals. Even after it was officially lost the very
distinctive signal of this satellite could be occasionally
heard for up to several hours at a time. Recorded on
136.260 MHz using an SSB receiver by Greg Roberts.
|
April 28th
1967 |
8.6 kg |
More
than 30 years after ERS 20 was officially lost these
recording in SSB mode were made by Greg Roberts on July
14th 1999 at 16:30h UTC in
Cape Town.
|

|
GGSE-4
#02828 (1967-053C) |
GGSE-4
(Gravity Gradient Stabilization Experiment) conducted
by US Navy. Frequency was 137.740 MHz. Recorded on Dec
14th 1973 in SSB by Greg Roberts.
|
May 31st
1967 |
4 kg |
GGSE-4
recorded on 137.740 MHz in CW on October 24th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
GGSE-4
recorded twice on 137.740 MHz between June 20th
and June 25th 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|

|
GGSE-5 #02834
(1967-053D) |
GGSE-5
(Gravity Gradient Stabilization Experiment) conducted
by US Navy. Recorded on 137.890 MHz between June 20th
and June 25th 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|
May 31st
1967 |
4 kg |

|
SECOR 9
EGRS-9 #02861 (1967-065A) |
SECOR
9 (Sequential Correlation of Range) was a joint US Army/Navy
satellite. It was a small geodetic spacecraft used to
precisely determine points on the earth. Recorded on
May 17th 1975 on 136.840 MHz
in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Jun 29th
1967 |
20 kg |
EGRS-9
was recorded on May 17th 1975
on 136.840 MHz in CW and AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
COSMOS 177 Zenit-2 53
#02947
(1967-088A) |
1st
Generation low resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite, the film capsule was recovered after 8 days.
This FSK/PDM signal was received on 19.995 MHz by Sven
Grahn.
|
Sept 16th
1967 |
4000 kg |

|
ATS-3
#03029 (1967-111A) |
ATS-3
was the third Applications Technology Satellite in geostationary
orbit (approx 47°W) and i n
the early 1970's it was conducting tests like relaying
weather pictures, time signals and aircraft communications.
Click on the picture of the globe to get a full disc
picture recorded and transmitted by ATS-3 on Jan 21st
1968. Frequencies used were 135.600 MHz for the APT
system (40 W ), 136.470 MHz and 137.350 MHz (each 16
W), an ionospheric beacon ar 412.08 MHz and 4 S-Band
downlinks (up to 24 W). This is a recorded communication
on this satellite between "Mojave" and an
aircraft heading to "New Amsterdam". The spin
modulation of the satellite signal is quite obvious.
Recorded on 135.600 MHz by Greg Roberts in Johannesburg.
|
Nov 5th
1967 |
365 kg |
Recorded
around 1972 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
COSMOS 193 Zenit-2
58 #03052
(1967-117A) |
1st
Generation low resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite, the film capsule was recovered after 8 days.
This FSK/PDM signal was received on 19.995 MHz on November
26th 1967 by Sven Grahn.
|
Nov 25th
1967 |
4000 kg |

|
COSMOS 201 Zenit-4
#03118 (1968-009A) |
2nd
Generation high resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite. This FSK/PDM signal was received on 19.995
MHz on February 11th 1968 by
Sven Grahn.
|
Feb 6th
1968 |
4000 kg |

|
SOLRAD
9 (Explorer 37) #03141 (1968-017A) |
Solrad
9 measured Solar Radiation. Telemetry was transmitted
simultaneously in AM and FM. Frequencies used were 136.41
MHz, 136.53 MHz and 137.59 MHz. Solrad 9 decayed in
November 1990. Both recording were done between end
of October and beginning of November 1974 by Greg Roberts
using an SSB receiver.
|
Mar 5th
1968 |
198 kg |
Recorded
May 17th 1972 on 136.530 MHZ
be Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
on August 2nd 1972 probably
on 136.41 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Explorer
37 recorded on October 24th
1973 in AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
COSMOS 210 Zenit-2
60 #03168 1968-024A |
1st
Generation low resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite, the film capsule was recovered after 8 days.
This FSK/PDM signal was received on 19.994 MHz on April
7th 1968 by Sven Grahn.
|
Apr 3rd
1968 |
4000 kg |

|
RAE 1 (Explorer
38) #03307 (1968-055A) |
RAE 1
(Radio Astronomy Explorer) measured the intensity of
celestial radio sources, particularly the sun, as a
function of time, direction, and frequency (0.2 to 20
MHz). Recorded on May 17th
1975 on 136.350 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Jul 4th
1968 |
602 kg |

|
HEOS 1 #03595
(1968-109A) |
Heos
1 (Highly Eccentric Orbit Satellite) was built by Junkers-Werke
in Munich/Germany and studied the inter-planetary magnetic
field, solar wind and space particles. Recorded on May
17th 1975 on 136.650 MHz by
Greg Roberts.
|
Dec 5th
1968 |
128 kg |

|
TETR 2 TETR B
#03534 (1968-100B) |
TETR
2 was a small magnetically stabilized satellite instrumented
with an s-band transponder (9.5 W) to provide training
to Apollo ground stations. It included also a PAM/FM/PM
telemetry transmitter on 136.860 MHz (1.2 W). It decayed
in Sept 1979. Recorded on May 17th
1972 on 136.860 MHz in CW/AM/CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Nov 8th
1968 |
40 kg |

|
Proton-4 #03544 (1968-103A) |
Proton
4 was the last in a series of spacecraft designed to
study the energy spectrum and the chemical composition
of cosmic rays. The spacecraft was cylindrical in form
and had extended solar panels and antennas. Proton-4
also studied the possible collisions of cosmic ray particles
with the nuclei of hydrogen, carbon, and iron. It was
hoped that the postulated fundamental particle, the
quark, might be discovered during this flight. The spacecraft
was in orbit for 250 days. Enclosed FSK/PDM signal
was received and recorded on 19.910 MHz by R.S. (Dick)
Flagg in Gainesville Florida. This recording was
kindly provided by Sven Grahn with permission of R.S.
(Dick) Flagg.
|
Nov 16th
1968 |
17000 kg |

|
OAO 2
OAO A2 OAO B #03597 (1968-110A) |
OAO-2
(Orbiting Astronomical Observatory) transmitted on 136.260
MHz (data) and 136.440 MHz (beacon). Recorded on May
17th 1972 on 136.260 MHz in
AM by Greg Roberts.
|
Dec 7th
1968 |
2150 kg |
Beacon
recorded on 136.440 MHz between June 20th
and June 25th 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|

|
ESSA 8
(TOS F) #03615 (1968-114A) |
Environmental
Survey SAtellite (ESSA) was a meteorological satellite
with APT equipment. The APT transmission was on 137.620
MHz (5 W), the tracking beacon was on 137.770 MHz (250
mW). APT transmission recorded December 14th
1973 at 07:25 UTC on 137.625 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Dec 15th
1968 |
132 kg |
Tracking
beacon recorded on 137.770 MHz on December 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
The beacon
was also recorded on May 17th
1972 on 136.770 MHz in CW and AM (not much to hear in
AM) by Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
on August 2nd 1972 on 137.620
MHz in AM or FM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
OSO 5 #03663
(1969-006A) |
Orbiting
Solar Observatory. PCM/PM telemetry was transmitted
in the frequency band 136.290 MHz. Both recording were
done on October 31st 1974 by
Greg Roberts using an SSB receiver.
|
Jan 22nd
1969 |
645 kg |

|
ISIS 1 #03669
(1969-009A) |
ISIS
(International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies) was
an ionospheric observatory instrumented with sweep-
and fixed-frequency iono-sondes, a VLF receiver, energetic
and soft particle detectors, an ion mass spectrometer,
an electrostatic probe, an electrostatic analyzer, a
beacon transmitter and a cosmic noise experiment. Recorded
on Sept 2nd 1975 on 136.080
MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Jan 30th
1969 |
241 kg |

|
ESSA 9
(TOS-G) #03764 (1969-016A) |
ESSA
9 was a sun-synchronous meteorological satellite designed
to take and record daytime earth cloud-cover pictures
on a global basis for subsequent playback to a ground
acquisition facility. Beacon recorded on May 17th
1972 on 136.770 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Feb 26th
1969 |
145 kg |
ESSA
9 recorded on Oct 24th1973
on 136.770 MHz in AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
NIMBUS
3 NIMBUS B2 #03890 (1969-037A) |
NIMBUS
3 was a meteorological satellite. It transmitted APT
pictures on 136.950 MHz. This APT signal was actually
an IR scan and was recorded on June 29th 1969 on 136.950
MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
April
14th 1969 |
635
kg |
This
APT signal was also an IR scan and was recorded on 136.950
MHz between June 20th and June
25th 1972 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
SECOR 13
EGRS-13 #03891 (1969-037B) |
Sequential
Correlation of Range provided geodetic determination
measurements. Launched together with Nimbus-3. It contained
a transponder and a telemetry system. Frequencies used
were 136.8 MHz, 224.5 MHz, 449 MHz. Both recording were
done on October 31st 1974 by
Greg Roberts on 136.800 MHz using an SSB receiver.
|
April 14th
1969 |
20 kg |
Recorded
also previously on August 2nd
1972 on 136.800 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
EGRS
13 recorded on October 24th
1973 on 136.800 MHz in AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
ERS 29 (OV 5-5))
#03950 (1969-046A) |
OV5-5
(ERS 29) gathered data for basic research on solar radiation
and its effect on the magneto-sphere. Using a VLF plasma
wave detector, an altitude sensor, a magnetometer and
seven particle detectors, it measured the VLF proton
and electron fluxes as well as the temporal variations
of such fluxes. Recorded on October 24th
1973 on 136.650 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
May 23rd
1969 |
11 kg |

|
ERS 26
(OV 5-6) #03951 (1969-046B) |
Gathered
data for basic research on solar radiation. Included
a solar flare monitor, six particle detectors, solid
state detectors, a magnetic spectrometer, a Faraday
cup and a flux-gate magnetometer. Transmitted on 136.380
MHz in FM (500 mW , 17 W on command) and 400.450 MHz
in CW (750 mW). It was observed several times that every
2 hours the signal on 136.38 MHz disappeared and reappeared
after 15 minutes. It is assumed that during this time
the satellite transmitted on 400.45 MHz. Recorded on
136.380 MHz using an SSB receiver by Greg Roberts.
|
May 23rd
1969 |
11 kg |
OV5-6
recorded on June 21st 1975
by Greg Roberts.
|
OV5-6
recorded when the satellite was closer to Earth on his
highly elliptical orbit on June 21st
1975 by Greg Roberts.
|
OV5-6
recorded on 136.380 MHz on a pass near perigee (height
ranging from 17000 km to about 10000 km) on August 15th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
OSO 6
OSO G #04065 (1969-068A) |
The primary
objectives of OSO 6 were the acquisition of high spectral-resolution
data within the 1 to 1300 A range, the observation of
solar X-rays in the 20 to 200 keV range and the observation
of high-energy neutron flux in the 20 to 130 MeV range.
Recorded on August 2nd 1972
on 136.710 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug 9th
1969 |
647 kg |
OSO 6
recorded on October 24th 1973
on 136.710 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|

|
TIMATION-II
#04256 (1969-082B) |
TIMATION
2 (TIMe/navigATION) was a US military navigation satellite.
It incorporated sidetone range signals transmitted at
150 and 400 MHz. Higher frequency range tones (Up to
1 MHz) increased the range measurement resolution to
10 m. Recorded on 137.380 MHz in AM/FM by Mike D. Kenny.
|
Sep 30th
1969 |
?? kg |

|
ITOS-1 TIROS-M
#04320 (1970-008A) |
ITOS-1 was a box shaped
meteorological satellite (size 1.016m x 1.016m x 1.245m)
with 3 solar panels (250W). It was launched together
with Amsat Oscar 5. It transmitted on 137.500 MHz APT
(5W) and on 136.770 MHz a Beacon (250mW). Data was transmitted
on 1697.5 MHz (2W). I am searching for sound files.
Please send them to |
Jan 23rd
1970 |
306 kg |

|
SERT 2 #04327
(1970-009A) |
SERT
2 (Space Electric Rocket Test) mission carried two ion
thrusters. It transmitted on 136.230 and 136.920 MHz.
Recorded on May 17th 1972 on
136.230 MHz in CW/AM by Greg Roberts.
|
Feb 4th
1970 |
1404 kg |

|
Ohsumi #04330
(1970-011A) |
Ohsumi was the first
Japanese satellite. It carried thermometer, accelerometer.
It transmitted on 136.159 MHz a tracking beacon (50
mW). The batteries failed after transmitting for 30
hours. I am searching for sound files. Please send
them to |
Feb 11th
1970 |
38 kg |

|
NIMBUS
4 #04362 (1970-025A) |
Meteorological
satellite. APT system transmitted on 136.950 MHz (5
W), tracking beacon transmitted on 136.500 MHz (500
mW), data transmission on 1702.5 MHz (10 W). APT recorded
on 136.950 MHz in FM on December 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
April 8th
1970 |
620 kg |
Nimbus
4 transmitted 200 sec long pictures, then a short bit
of sync pulses and then the next picture. These recordings
were made on December 14th
1973 in FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Beacon
recorded on May 17th 1972 by
Greg Roberts. Started using AM (not much can be heard),
then switched to CW.
|

|
TOPO-1
(S70-3) #04363 (1970-025B) |
Geodetic
cube shaped satellite. Launched piggyback with Nimbus
4. Tracking beacon transmitted on 136.840 MHz which
was also used as a transponder. It had similar tones
like the EGRS / SECOR satellites. Recorded in AM on
December 14th 1973 by Greg
Roberts.
|
Apr 8th
1970 |
18 kg |
TOPO
1 transmitted with a typical EGRS sound. Recorded on
October 24th 1973 on 136.840
MHz in AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
China 1
PRC 1 DFH 1 Mao 1 #04382 (1970-034A) |
DFH-1 (Dong Fang Hong
- Red is East) Chinese communications satellite was
the first Chinese experimental satellite launched by
a LM-1 booster into a 441 x 2286 km orbit inclined at
68.4 deg. from a launch facility near Lop Nor. The primary
satellite mission was to broadcast the song "Dong
Fang Hong", paying tribute to Chairman Mao, and
to announce the time. The satellite was spherically
shaped with a one meter diameter. It ceased transmitting
in June 1970. |
Apr 24th
1970 |
173 kg |
Enclosed
tone telemetry and tune "The East is Red"
was received on 20.009 MHz on April 25th
1970 by Sven Grahn.
|
Recorded
on 20.009 MHz in AM on April 27th
1970 between 09:39 and 09:53 UTC by Kurt DF7FU.
|

|
COSMOS 346 Zenit-4
#04409 (1970-042A) |
2nd
Generation high resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite- This FSK/PDM signal was received on 19.995
MHz on June 12th 1970 by Sven
Grahn.
|
Jun 10th
1970 |
4000
kg |

|
COSMOS 353 Zenit-2M
#04455 (1970-053A) |
3rd
Generation low resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite. This wideband telemetry signal was received
on 66.2 MHz on July 12th 1970
by Sven Grahn.
|
Jul 9th
1970 |
4000
kg |

|
Cosmos 356 #04487
(1970-059A) |
Cosmos
356 was a Soviet DS type military satellite launched
from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.DS (Dnepropetrovsk Sputnik)
were small satellites built by Yangel's OKB-586 / KB
Yuzhnoye in the Ukraine for launch by the same KB's
Kosmos launch vehicles. They were used for a wide range
of military and scientific research and component proving
tests. This mission studied the Earth's magnetic poles.
Enclosed signal of the ionospheric beacon was received
on 20.005 MHz by Sven Grahn.
|
Aug 10th
1970 |
400
kg |

|
COSMOS 364 Zenit-4MK
Hermes #04553 (1970-075A) |
3rd
Generation low resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite. This 2-tone-beacon signal was received
on 19.989 MHz by Sven Grahn.
|
Sep 22nd
1970 |
4000
kg |

|
COSMOS 376 Zenit-4M
Rotor #04599 (1970-092A) |
3rd
Generation low resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite, the spacecraft was maneuverable. This
Morse code, digital telemetry signal was received on
19.150 MHz in November 1970 by Sven Grahn.
|
Oct 30th
1970 |
4000
kg |

|
COSMOS 384 Zenit-2M
Hektor #04791
(1970-105A) |
3rd
Generation low resolution Soviet Photo Reconnaissance
satellite, satellite deployed a science capsule, it
included microwave radiometers and a narrow angle
IR radiometer. This TG recovery beacon signal from
recoverable COSMOS 384 satellite was received on December
22nd 1970 by Sven Grahn.
|
Dec 10th
1970 |
5900 kg |

|
NOAA-1 ITOS-B
#04793 (1970-106A) |
NOAA-1 was a box shaped
meteorological satellite (size 1.016m x 1.016m x 1.245m)
with 3 solar panels. It transmitted on 137.620 MHz APT
(5W) and on 136.770 MHz a tracking beacon (250mW). Data
was transmitted on 1697.5 MHz (4W). I am searching
for sound files. Please send them to |
Dec 11th
1970 |
306 kg |

|
China
2 Shi Jian 1
PRC-2 #05007
(1971-018A) |
Shijian
1 was the second satellite launched by the PRC.
This Chinese experimental satellite was launched on
a LM-1 booster into a 265 x 1825 km orbit inclined at
69.8 deg. The mission was to broadcast stored messages.
The satellite bus was similar to that of DFH-1, with
the addition of solar cells. Initial transmissions
were at 20.006 MHz and later changed to 19.995 MHz.
China 2 re-entered in 1979 through natural orbital decay. |
Mar 3rd
1971 |
221 kg |
Enclosed
10 sec telemetry frame was received on 20.009 MHz by
Sven Grahn.
|
Enclosed
15 sec telemetry frame with 5 sec. subframes was received
on 20.009 MHz by Sven Grahn.
|
Enclosed
5 sec PPM telemetry frame was received on 19.995 MHz
by Sven Grahn.
|

|
IMP 8
IMP I Explorer 43 #05043 (1971-019A) |
IMP 8
was a satellite dedicated to radio astronomy and space
physics. One of the two transmitters operated on 136.170
MHz and was recorded twice between June 20th
and June 25th 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|
Mar 13th
1971 |
635 kg |

|
Isis 2
#05104 (1971-024A) |
Isis
2 (International Satellite for Ionospheric Studies)
was an ionospheric sounder carrying 8 Canadian and 4
US experiments. It transmitted on 136.080 MHz, 401.750
MHz (4W), 136.590 MHz (3W), 136.410 MHz and 137.950
MHz. Recorded on 136.080 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
April 1st
1971 |
262 kg |

|
D2-A Tournesol
#05128 (1971-030A) |
Spin
stabilized cylindrical French satellite 70cm in diameter
and 80 cm long. Astronomical mission including the search
for hydrogen in space. Both recording were done on October
30th 1974 on 136.630 MHz in
SSB by Greg Roberts.
|
April 15th
1971 |
96 kg |
Recorded
on 136.630 MHz on December 14th
1973 using an AM receiver by Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
on 136.630 MHz on December 14th
1973 using an FM receiver by Greg Roberts.
|

|
SOLRAD
10 (Explorer 44) #05317 (1971-058A) |
SOLRAD
10 measured solar radiation in the UV, soft and hard
X-ray regions. This spin stabilized satellite was a
12-sided cylinder that measured 76 cm in diameter and
58 cm in height and had 4 solar panels. Transmitted
tracking beacon and telemetry on 137.710 MHz (5W) and
telemetry only on 136.380 MHz (3W). Recorded on October
29th 1974 by Greg Roberts using an SSB receiver.
|
July
8th 1971 |
260
kg |
Explorer
44 (Solrad-10) recorded on October 24th
1973 on 137.710 MHz in AM mode by Greg Roberts.
|

|
EOLE
CAS 1 #05435 (1971-071A) |
EOLE
was designed to function primarily as a communications
satellite to acquire and relay data on altitude, pressure,
temperature, moisture and upper atmospheric wind velocities
from instrumented earth-circling constant density meteorological
balloons. Recorded on May 17th
1972 on 136.350 MHz in CW mode by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug
16th 1971 |
84.7
kg |
EOLE recorded
on 136.350 MHz in AM on October 16th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
EOLE recorded
on October 24th 1973 on 136.350
MHz in AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Shinsei
(MS-F2) #05485 (1971-080A) |
Japanese
scientific observation satellite. Its objective was
to measure solar and cosmic radiation. The tracking
beacon transmitted continuously on 136.695 MHz at 90
mW and real time telemetry was transmitted on 400.695
MHz at 45 mW. Incidentally still transmitting mid 2007
but now a continuous tone. Recorded on Dec 14th
1973 on 136.694 MHz in AM with CW filter by Greg Roberts.
|
Sept 28th
1971 |
65 kg |
Recorded
on December 14th 1973 on 136.694
MHz in FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
on May 17th 1972 on 136.694
MHz by Greg Roberts. First recording in CW suffered
from locally generated hum. Second recording in AM mode
was ok.
|
Shinsei
recorded on 136.694 MHz in AM mode on October 24th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
OSO 7
OSO H #05491 (1971-083A) |
OSO
7 (Orbiting Solar Observatory) studied the solar corona.
This experimental platform consisted of a sail section,
which pointed two experiments continually toward the
sun and a wheel section, which spun about an axis perpendicular
to the pointing direction of the sail. Transmitted PCM/PM
telemetry on 136.290 MHz with 0.57W. Recorded on May
17th 1972 on 136.290 MHz by
Greg Roberts.
|
Sept 29th
1971 |
635 kg |
OSO 7
decayed on July 9th 1974. Recorded on 136.290 MHz in
AM mode on October 24th 1973
by Greg Roberts.
|

|
TETR 4
#05492 (1971-083B) |
Test
and Training satellite 4. Launched piggyback with OSO
7. Octahedral 30cm wide satellite. Carried an S-band
transponder. The tracking beacon and telemetry transmitted
continuously on 136.62 MHz at 0.1 W and 2282.5 MHz at
0.5 W. Command frequency was 259.700 MHz. Recorded on
136.620 MHz using an SSB receiver by Greg Roberts.
|
Sept 29th
1971 |
20.4 kg |
TETR
4 recorded on October 24th
1973 on 136.620 MHz in AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Prospero
1 X-3 #05580 (1971-093A) |
Prospero was UKs first
satellite and launched on a Black Arrow rocket from
launch pad 5B in Woomera/Australia into an elliptical
low earth orbit with an inclination of 82 degrees, an
apogee of 1582 km and a perigee of 547 km. This British
scientific satellite was spin stabilized and the flattened
sphere shaped structure had a diameter of 1.1m and a
length of 0.7m. It's main purpose was to test equipment
for future satellites and to conduct a scientific experiment
to measure the incidence of micro-meteoroids. This satellite
transmitted on 137.560 MHz with 0.3W a phase modulated
signal with PCM at 2048 bit/s. The uplink frequency
was 148.250 MHz. Prospero X-3 operated successfully
until 1973 after which it was contacted annually until
being de-activated in 1996. |
Oct 28th
1971 |
72kg |
Recorded
on October 24th 1973 on 137.560
MHz in AM by Greg Roberts.
|
Prospero
was recorded twice on 137.560 MHz between June 20th
and June 25th 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|

|
S-Cubed A SSS-A
SSS-1 (Explorer 45) #05598 (1971-096A) |
SSS-A
(Small Scientific Satellite) performed a wide variety
of investigations within the magneto-sphere with regards
to particle fluxes, electric and magnetic fields. SSS-A
transmitted continuous tracking and telemetry signals
on 136.830 MHz (0.5W). Command uplink channel was 148.98
MHz. A second downlink on 137.950 MHz could be commanded
on and off. Recorded on May 17th
1975 on 136.830 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Nov 15th
1971 |
114 kg |

|
Ariel 4
UK 4 #05675 (1971-109A) |
Ariel
4 (UK 4) was a small observatory investigating the interactions
between electromagnetic waves, plasmas and energetic
particles present in the upper ionosphere. It transmitted
on 137.050 MHz with 0.25 W telemetry data or a continuous
tracking carrier. The command uplink frequency was 148.250
MHz. Recorded on May 17th 1975
and on August 2nd 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|
Dec 11th
1971 |
99.5 kg |
Recorded
on Oct 24th 1973 with a rather
noisy signal on 137.050 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Ariel
4 was recorded three times on 137.050 MHz between June
20th and June 25th
1972 by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Ferret
24 POPPY-7A NOSS 0 (A) #05678 (1971-110A) |
Ferret
24 was a surveillance and military spy satellite used
during the cold war. It is meanwhile declassified. It
transmitted on 136.800 MHz and 137.080 MHz. Recorded
on October 24th 1973 by Greg
Roberts.
|
Dec 14th
1971 |
700 kg |
Ferret
24 received on 136.800 MHz using an SSB receiver on
October 31st 1974 by Greg Roberts.
|
Ferret
24 recorded with AM demodulator between June 20th
and June 25th 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|
Ferret
24 recorded with CW demodulator between June 20th
and June 25th 1972 by Greg
Roberts.
|

|
POPPY-7D NOSS 0
(D) #05681 (1971-110D) |
The group
of 4 military reconnaissance satellites Poppy-7A to
-7D were also called NOSS 0 satellites. NOSS stands
for Naval Ocean Surveillance System and there were multiple
groups of satellites each having two or three satellites
in close proximity to one another. NOSS satellites locate
and track ships at sea by detecting their radio transmissions
and analyzing them using the TDOA (time-difference-of-arrival)
technique. 71110D, transmitted on 136.320 MHz and 137.050
MHz. Recorded on Oct 24th 1973
in AM on both frequencies by Greg Roberts.
|
Dec 14th
1971 |
700 kg |

|
HEOS 2
HEOS-A2 #05814 (1972-005A) |
HEOS
2 was built by ESRO (the European Space Research Organisation).
This spin stabilized satellite traveled in extremely
elongated orbits in order to study the interplanetary
magnetic field and solar and cosmic ray particles outside
the Earth’s magneto-sphere. It studied especially high
latitude magneto-sphere and the region around the northern
neutral point. It transmitted telemetry on 136.68 MHz
(5.9 W). Control uplink frequency was 148.250 MHz. Both
recordings made on August 15th
1973 in AM mode on 136.680 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Jan 31st
1972 |
123 kg |

|
TD 1A
#05879 (1972-014A) |
TD-1A
(Thor Delta 1) Astronomical Celestial Observation Satellite.
It carried seven experiments devoted to astrophysical
studies. Recorded on 137.740 MHz using an SSB receiver
on October 30th 1974 by Greg
Roberts.
|
Mar 12th
1972 |
472 kg |
TD-1A
received on 136.050 MHz on May 17th
1972 by Greg Roberts.
|
TD-1A
received on October 24th 1973
on 136.050 MHz in AM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
LANDSAT
1 (ERTS-1) #06126 (1972-058A) |
Earth
Resources Technology Satellite. Its objective was to
obtain coverage of the United States and other major
land masses with multi-spectral, high spatial resolution
(60 m) images of solar radiation reflected from the
earth's surface. The tracking beacon transmitted on
137.860 MHz at 2 W. Telemetry on command was transmitted
in S-Band on 2229.5 MHz (20 W), 2265.5 MHz (20 W), 2287.5
MHz (1 W). Recorded on Dec 14th
1973 in AM by Greg Roberts.
|
Jul 23rd
1972 |
950 kg |
Recorded
on Dec 14th 1973 in FM by Greg
Roberts.
|

|
METEC
MTS (Explorer 46) #06142 (1972-061A) |
METEC
(Meteoroid Technology Satellite) measured the meteoroid
penetration rates in a bumper-protected target as well
as meteoroid velocity and flux distribution. Recorded
on 136.320 MHz using an SSB receiver by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug 13th
1972 |
90 kg |
Recorded
on June 7th 1975 on 136.320
MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Explorer
46 recorded twice on October 24th
1973 on 136.320 MHz in AM mode by Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
twice on August 30th 1974 by
Greg Roberts.
|

|
OAO-3
Copernicus #06153 (1972-065A) |
Orbiting
Astronomical Observatory (OAO-3, OAO-C) was also known
as Copernicus. Frequencies used were 136.260 MHz and
136.440 MHz. Recorded on December 14th
1973 using different demodulators by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug
21st 1972 |
2150
kg |
OAO-C
Copernicus recorded on Oct 24th
1973 in AM probably on 136.440 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
in AM mode on Sept 1st 1975
by Greg Roberts.
|

|
NOAA 2
(ITOS-D) #06235 (1972-082A) |
Meteorological
satellite providing day and night cloud cover data.
NOAA-2 relied entirely on scanning radiometers for imagery.
Tracking and telemetry was transmitted with 250 mW on
136.770 MHz. Telemetry on demand was on 137.500 MHz,
137.620 MHz or 1697.500 MHz (5 W). APT transmission
recorded on Dec 14th 1973 in
FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Oct 15th
1972 |
409 kg |
The beacons
on the NOAA satellites are relatively powerful and can
be heard without much difficulty using the FM mode of
receivers. This was shown here on December 14th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
NOAA
2 ( aka ITOS-D) recorded either on 137.500 MHz or 137.620
MHz in AM mode on August 15th
1973 by Greg Roberts.
|
NOAA
2 telemetry beacon recorded either on 136.770 MHz in
AM mode on October 24th 1973
by Greg Roberts.
|

|
ESRO-4
#06285 (1972-092A) |
ESRO
4 was cylindrical in shape and was spin stabilized.
It transmitted a PCM/PM telemetry mode in three forms:
real-time telemetry at 64 bps, tape-recorder playback
and high-speed telemetry at 10240 bps. It studied the
ionosphere, auroras and solar particles. Recorded on
October 24th 1973 in AM on
137.200 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Nov 22nd
1972 |
115 kg |

|
Meteor
1-14 #06392 (1973-015A) |
Meteor
1-14 was the 14th fully operational
meteorological satellite in the Soviet Meteor 1 program
and the first to transmit over South Africa. Recorded
by Greg Roberts.
|
Mar 20th
1973 |
2000 kg |

|
NOAA
3 (ITOS-F) #06920 (1973-086A) |
Meteorological
satellite providing day and night cloud cover data.
Recorded on 137.400 MHz, 137.500 MHz or 137.620 MHz
using an SSB receiver by Greg Roberts.
|
Nov
6th 1973 |
746
kg |
The second
file was recorded on December 14th
1973 in FM by Greg Roberts.
|

|
AE-C
(Explorer 51) #06977 (1973-101A) |
Explorer
51 was a scientific satellite studying the high atmosphere.
It transmitted on 137.230 MHz. It decayed on December
12th 1978. Recorded on June
7th 1975 in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Dec 16th
1973 |
658 kg |
Recorded
on June 7th 1975 by Greg Roberts
(first in CW and then he switched during the reception
to AM).
|

|
Tansei 2 Tansei
MRT MS-T2 #07122 (1974-008A) |
Tansei
2 was a Japanese satellite with a short mission of only
17 days. It included a magnetic attitude control test
system, a housekeeping measurement system and a radio
telemetry system. Recorded on February 27nd
1974 in CW on 136.725 MHz by Greg Roberts. In AM nothing
could be heard.
|
Feb 16th
1974 |
56 kg |

|
ATS-6
ATS-F #07318 (1974-039A) |
ATS-6
(Applications Technology Satellite-6, also called ATS-F)
was the world's first educational satellite as well
as the first experimental direct broadcast TV satellite
(DBS) in a geostationary orbit. The 3 axis stabilized
satellite transmitted with 2 Watts and used a 9.15m
dish antenna. Recorded on 136.230 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
May 30th
1974 |
930 kg |
Recorded
on 137.1017 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Hawkeye
1 Injun-F (Explorer 52) #07325 (1974-040A) |
Hawkeye
1 was also called Neutral Point Explorer and carried
space physics experiments including a magnetometer,
an energetic plasma analyzer and an ELF-VLF wave instrument.
Data were transmitted in real time at frequencies of
136 MHz and 400 MHz at 100 bps (or 200 bps using convolutional
codes) plus wideband VLF data. Recorded at 136.290 MHz
using an SSB receiver. In the middle of the second recording
the receiver was switched to AM. Both files recorded
on October 30th 1974 by Greg
Roberts.
|
June 3rd
1974 |
22.7 kg |
Recorded
on September 6th 1975 on 136.290
MHz during a near perigee pass by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Aeros 2
Aeros B #07371 (1974-055A) |
Aeros
2 was a German scientific satellite. The purpose of
its mission was to study the state and behavior of the
upper atmosphere and ionospheric F region, especially
with regard to the influence of solar ultraviolet radiation.
It transmitted on 137.290 MHz. Recorded on June 7th
1975 in AM or FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Jul 16th
1974 |
125.7 kg |
It was
launched into an elliptical, polar, nearly sun-synchronous
earth orbit and decayed on September 25th
1975. Recorded on September 7th
1975 on 137.290 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|

|
ANS
#07427 (1974-070A) |
ANS (Astronomical
Netherlands Satellite) was an earth-orbiting, sun-synchronous
satellite, designed as an astronomical observatory.
Its lifetime was 20 months. Recorded on 137.890 MHz
using an SSB receiver on October 30th
1974 by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug 30th
1974 |
130 kg |
Recorded
on June 7th 1975 on 137.890
MHz in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
Both
files recorded on June 7th
1975 on 137.890 MHz in AM and CW by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Intasat #07531
(1974-089C) |
Intasat
was launched together with Oscar 7 and NOAA-4. This
first Spanish satellite was a small, magnetically oriented,
spin stabilized spacecraft carrying a beacon experiment
to study the ionosphere. It was turned off after 2 years.
Recorded in AM mode on September 1st
1975 on 136.710 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Nov 15th
1974 |
20.4 kg |

|
CASTOR
D5B #07802 (1975-039B) |
CASTOR's
primary mission objective was to study the upper atmosphere
density variations. Secondary objectives included a
study of gravity field perturbations and a study of
micro-meteorite impacts. It decayed on February 18th
1979. Both files recorded on 136.240 MHz on June 21st
1975 in CW by Greg Roberts.
|
May 17th
1975 |
76 kg |
Both
files recorded on June 21st
1975 on 136.240 MHz in FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Recorded
in AM mode on September 1st
1975 on 136.250 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|

|
OSO-8
#07970 (1975-057A) |
OSO-8
was supposed to perform solar physics experiments above
the atmosphere during a complete solar cycle and to
map the entire celestial sphere for direction and intensity
of UV light, X-ray radiation, and gamma-ray radiation.
Unfortunately it went out of service in September 1978
and decayed on July 9th 1986.
Recorded by Greg Roberts on 136.920 MHz in CW on June
21st 1975 just 1 hour after
its launch.
|
June 21st
1975 |
1064 kg |
Recorded
on June 21st 1975 in AM just
1 hour after its launch by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Meteor
2-01 #08026 (1975-064A) |
 Meteor
2-01 was recorded twice in the 137 MHz band in FM on
November 7th 1975 by Greg Roberts.
|
Jul 11th
1975 |
2800 kg |
 Meteor
2-01 was recorded also twice in the 137 MHz band in
FM in the afternoon of June 6th
1998 by DD1US.
|
Click
on the picture on the right to access a collection of
APT pictures received from Meteor 2-1 in 1998 by DD1US.
|

|
COS B #08062
(1975-072A) |
COS B
(Cosmic Ray Satellite) was a scientific satellite developed
by the European Space Agency (ESA) to study extraterrestrial
gamma radiation in the 25-MeV to 1-GeV energy range
from a highly elliptical orbit. Recorded twice in CW/AM
mode on September 2nd 1975
on 136.950 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug 9th
1975 |
277.5 kg |

|
Symphonie-B
Symphonie 2 #08132 (1975-077A) |
Symphonie
2 was a French-German, geostationary, equatorial experimental
communications satellite. It provided 1200 telephone
circuits and eight voice and two color TV channels which
operate between 4 and 6 GHz. Recorded on August 29th
1975 on 136.800 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Aug 27th
1975 |
400 kg |

|
D-2B Aura #08332
(1975-092A) |
The French
Astronomy Satellite D2B carried an EUV experiment for
solar and atmospheric investigations and a set of UV
experiments for making stellar, zodiacal light, integrated
sky background and stellar observations. The data transmission
rate was 256 b/s for real-time data and 11 kb/s for
stored data at a telemetry frequency of 136.740 MHz.
The stabilization system failed on December 28th
1976, thereby terminating operation of the spacecraft.
Recorded on October 6th 1975
in CW/AM on 136.740 MHz by Greg Roberts.
|
Sep 27th
1975 |
115 kg |

|
Meteor 2-02 #09661
(1977-002A) |
Meteor 2-02 was a meteorological
satellite transmitting APT on 137.300 MHz (5W). Picture
received at or before December 30th
1992 by DD1US. I am searching for sound files. Please
send them to |
Jan 7th
1977 |
2800 kg |

|
Cosmos 1241 Istrebitel
Sputnikov IS
#12149 (1981-006A) |
Cosmos
1241 was a Soviet DS-P1-M target satellite launched
from the Plesetsk cosmodrome aboard a Kosmos rocket.
It was an ASAT (anti-satellite) target for the Cosmos
1243 and 1258 interceptors. It was designated the
IS ("Istrebitel Sputnikov", fighter satellite).
The orbital parameters of the target satellite would
already be known before launch, and the interceptor
would be pre-programmed with those parameters. After
being placed into an initial parking orbit by the launch
vehicle, the interceptor's engine would make a number
of maneuvers to intercept with the target, and at the
appropriate moment, blow itself up together with the
target. The interception was intended to take place
on the first to third orbit, although it would be possible
to make repeated attempts in case the target was missed.
The Istrebitel Sputnikov was approximately spherical
in form and had a total mass of 1,400 kg. It consisted
of two sections: the main section, which contained the
guidance and targeting, computational and optical homing
systems, and the 300 kg explosive charge; and the engine
section. The body of the interceptor was designed so
that after the explosion it would fragment into 12 groups
of shrapnel. The specified radius of guaranteed target
destruction was 1 km. However in a head-on intercept,
only 400 m radius was guaranteed, while in a chase intercept,
a 2 km radius of destruction could be achieved. The
engine was capable of numerous quick starts and restarts,
with a total operating time of 300 seconds. |
Jan 21st
1981 |
650 kg |
This signal
of the Anti-Satellite Test (ASAT) target was received
on 145 MHz on February 2nd
1981 by Sven Grahn.
|

|
COSMOS 1249 US-A RORSAT
#12319 (1981-021A) |
Cosmos 1249 was a russian
nuclear powered Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite
(RORSAT) launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome aboard
a Tsyklon 2 rocket. The Russian name for this series
of satellites was Upravlenniye Sputnik Aktivny (US-A).
The RORSATs were designed to search the oceans for US
Navy task forces and other shipping using a side-looking
radar operating at 8.2 GHz. These highly maneuverable
satellites had a orbit with an inclination of about
65° which was initially about 255 high (LEO) and
after the nuclear reactor degraded in power the orbit
was raised to a about 900km circular disposal orbit
(MEO). Cosmos-1249 operated 105 days in the LEO
orbit. |
Mar 5th
1981 |
3800 kg |
Enclosed
FSK, PDM signal was received on 19.542 MHz on April
26th 1981 at 07:00 UTC by Sven
Grahn.
|

|
COSMOS 1266 US-A
RORSAT #12409 (1981-037A) |
Cosmos 1266 was a russian
nuclear powered Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellite
(RORSAT) launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome aboard
a Tsyklon 2 rocket. COSMOS-1266 was the tandem satellite
to COSMOS-1249 and stayed only 8 days in LEO orbit.
More information on the RORSAT/US-A satellites can be
found on the excellent website of Sven Grahn. |
Apr 21st
1981 |
3800 kg |
Enclosed
“pulsed” FSK/PDM signal was received on 19.542 MHz on
May 2nd 1981 at 04:10 UTC by
Sven Grahn .
|

|
Meteosat
2 #12554 (1981-057A) |
Meteosat-2
was a spin-stabilized cylindrical meteorological satellite
in a geostationary orbit at 0° longitude. It transmitted
weather pictures on the downlink frequencies 1691.0
MHz and 1694.5 MHz. Recorded in FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Jun 19th
1981 |
282 kg |

|
NOAA 9
NOAA-F #15427 (1984-123A) |
NOAA-9 was also called
NOAA-F. APT
downlink frequency was 137.620 MHz (inoperative), HRPT
downlink frequencies were 1702.5 MHz and 1707.0 MHz,
Beacon frequency was 137.770 MHz (on command). Picture
received at or before December 30th
1992 by DD1US. |
Dec 12th
1984 |
1418 kg |
On November
6th 2010 at 15:22h UTC NOAA-9
transmitted a plain CW carrier on the downlink frequency
137.504 MHz. Received, recorded and kindly provided
by Patrick Hajagos.
|

|
COSMOS
1766 OKEAN-O1 #1 #16881 (1986-055A) |
Cosmos
1766 was an oceanographic satellite equipped with optical
scanners and radar imaging devices. Recorded on 137.400
MHz in FM by Greg Roberts.
|
Jun
28th 1986 |
1950
kg |
Enclosed
signal of an image transmission was received on 466.5
MHz on January 7th 1990 by
Sven Grahn.
|

|
NOAA 10
NOAA-G #16969 (1986-073A) |
NOAA-10 was also called
NOAA-G and
included a search and rescue (SAR) system. Its primary
purpose was meteorological though. APT downlink frequency
is 137.500 MHz, HRPT downlink frequency is 1698.0 MHz,
Beacon frequency is 136.770 MHz. Picture received at
or before December 30th 1992
by DD1US. |
Sep 17th
1986 |
386 kg |
I am searching for sound
files. Please send them to |

|
ECS-4
EUTELSAT 4 #18351 (1987-078B) |
The EUTELSAT
I series of satellites was developed by the European
Space Agency (ESA) as part of the European Communications
Satellite (ECS) program. They served both public and
private traffic, including telephone services, fax,
data, land mobile service, and television and radio
programming. PCM/FSK/PM transmission recorded on 137.142
MHz by Mike D. Kenny.
|
Sep 16th
1987 |
1175 kg |

|
Navigation satellite OSCAR-27 Transit-O 27 OSCAR(NAV)27
NNS 30270 #18361
(1987-080A) |
Transit-O
27 was a US Navy navigation satellite launched by a
Scout G rocket. Transit, one of the first operational
satellite systems, was also known as the Navy Navigation
Satellite (NNS). The Transit spacecraft were developed
for updating the inertial navigation systems on board
US Navy Polaris submarines, and later for civilian use.
Transit receivers used the known characteristics of
the satellite's orbit, measured the Doppler shift of
the satellite's radio signal, and thereby calculated
the receivers position on the earth. As a single spacecraft
travelled overhead, the user measured the Doppler shift
over a 15 minute period by receiving timing marks and
satellite orbital information on two separate frequencies,
149.99 and 399.97 MHz. These signals were corrected
for ionospheric refraction and the information was then
fed into the users navigation system. Individual
Transit satellites operated for over 10 years. Technical
breakthroughs during the program included gravity gradient
stabilization, the use of radio-isotope thermoelectric
generators (RTG), and navigation satellite technologies
later used in the GPS system. Transit was superseded
by the Navstar global positioning system. The use of
the satellites for navigation was discontinued at the
end of 1996 but the satellites continued transmitting
and became the Navy Ionospheric Monitoring System (NIMS).
Enclosed signal was received on 149.985 MHz on January
15th 2000 by Sven Grahn.
|
Sep 16th
1987 |
59 kg |

|
NOAA 11 NOAA-H
#19531 (1988-089A) |
NOAA-11 was also called
NOAA-H. APT
downlink frequency is 137.620 MHz, HRPT downlink frequency
is 1707.0 MHz, Beacon frequency is 137.770 MHz. Picture
received at or before Dec 31st
1992 by DD1US. I am searching for sound files. Please
send them to |
Sep 24th
1988 |
386 kg |

|
FLTSATCOM
8 USA 046 #20253 (1989-077A) |
FLTSATCOM
8 (Fleetsatcom) is a geostationary (23°W) military
communications satellite. It has 23 communications channels
in the UHF frequency band from 244 to 263 MHz. Sometimes
some of the channels get hijacked by pirates and used
for private purpose. Such an event was recorded on on
Jan 5th 2008 on 255.550 MHz
in NFM by Chris Gross in Pennsylvania using a Yupiteru
MVT-7100.
|
Sep 25th
1989 |
1043 kg |
Another
example for a pirate signal was recorded on 255.550
MHz on Dec 16th 2006 in NFM by Chris Gross in Pennsylvania
using a Yupiteru MVT-7100.
|

|
NAVSTAR
22 Navstar-2A 1 GPS 23 USA 66 #20959
(1990-103A) |
NAVSTAR GPS (global positioning
system) satellite of the 2nd
generation. These type IIA navigation satellites are
orbiting the Earth in an altitude of 20000 km with an
inclination of 55°. The L1 (for civilian and military
use) downlink frequency is 1575.42 MHz, the L2 (only
for military use) downlink frequency is 1227.60 MHz. |
Nov 26th
1990 |
1816 kg |
Enclosed
GPS signal was received on April 7th
2011 on 1575,42 MHz in SSB by Greg Roberts.
|

|
Meteor 3-4 #21232
(1991-030A) |
Meteor 3-4 transmitted
APT on 137.???
MHz. Picture received at or before Dec 30th
1992 by DD1US. |
Apr 24th
1991 |
2150 kg |

|
NOAA
12 NOAA-D #21263 (1991-032A) |
NOAA-12
was also called NOAA-D. APT downlink frequency is 137.500
MHz, HRPT downlink frequency is 1698.0 MHz, Beacon frequency
is 136.770 MHz. NOAA 12 was de-commissioned (permanently
switched off) on 10 August 2007 after more than 16 years
of service. Received on May 5th
1998 by DD1US.
|
May
14th 1991 |
590
kg |
In
the year 1998 I received a number of APT pictures from
NOAA-12. Click on the picture on the right to have a
look at this collection.
|

|
Meteor
3-5 TOMS #21655 (1991-056A) |
Cooperative
space mission between the US and the former USSR to
map global ozone from space using a Total Ozone Mapping
Spectrometer (TOMS) designed and operated by NASA. Meteor
3-5 transmitted APT on 137.850 MHz. Received on May
1st 1998 by DD1US.
|
Aug
15th 1991 |
2150
kg |
In
the year 1998 I received a number of APT pictures from
Meteor 3-5. Click on the picture on the right to have
a look at this collection. Audio recorded on May 1st
1998 by DD1US.
|

|
COSMOS
2184 #21937 (1992-020A) |
Cosmos
2184 was part of a 6-satellite Russian military navigation
system distributed in orbital planes spaced 30 degrees
apart and launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome aboard
a Cosmos rocket. Navigation information was derived
from Doppler-shifted VHF transmissions (approximately
150 and 400 MHz) of the satellite position and orbital
data. Recorded on Dec 16th 2006 on 149.910 MHz by Chris
Gross in Pennsylvania using a Yupiteru MVT-7100.
|
Apr 15th
1992 |
825 kg |

|
HealthSat-2
Healthsat-II WavSat-1 #22827 (1993-061E) |
Healtsat-2
joined HealthSat-1 (UoSAT-3) as secondary microsatellite
in the HealthNet system of SatelLife. It was build by
SSTL in Surrey/UK based on its MicroSat-70 platform
and launched together with the primary payload SPOT-3
and several other microsats into a LEO (low earth orbit)
on Ariane 40 V59 from Kourou. This store and forward
communications satellite provides a communications network
especially for remote regions. For instance it relays
medical emergency information from Africa to hospitals
and health documentation centers. HealthSat-2 feature
3 uplink receivers at VHF and 2 redundant downlink transmitters
at UHF. It uses omni-directional satellite antennas.
The modulation and data rate is switchable between 1200bd
AFSK and 9600bd FSK in the uplink and 9600bd FSK and
38400 bps FSK in the downlink. It uses the AX.25 packet
communications protocol developed for Amateur Radio.
The output power of the transmitter is adapted by computer
control between 1W and 10W. Under a unique partnership
agreement between Wavix, SatelLife, and VITA, the satellite
under the name WavSat-1 continues its humitarian mission.
|
Sep 26th
1993 |
48 kg |

|
OKEAN
4 (1-7) #23317 (1994-066A) |
Okean
4 (1-7) was a Russian / Ukrainian
oceanic / meteorological satellite. It transmitted on
137.400 MHz. Picture received on March 21st
1998 by DD1US. The enclosed audio file recorded on 137.400
MHz was kindly provided by Mike DK3WN.
|
Oct 11th
1994 |
1950 kg |

|
NAVSTAR
35 Navstar 2A-14 GPS 2-23 USA 96 #22877
(1993-068A) |
NAVSTAR GPS (global positioning
system) satellite of the 2nd
generation. These type IIA navigation satellites are
orbiting the Earth in an altitude of 20200 km with an
inclination of 55°. The L1 (for civilian and military
use) downlink frequency is 1575.42 MHz, the L2 (only
for military use) downlink frequency is 1227.60 MHz. |
Oct 26th
1993 |
840 kg |
 Enclosed
GPS signal of NAVSTAR 35 was received on May lst
2011 on 1575,4 MHz in SSB by Greg Roberts.
|

|
NOAA 14
#23455 (1994-089A) |
Besides
an imaging radiometer, NOAA 14 (also called NOAA-J)
carried optical sounders to monitor temperature and
moisture content in the atmosphere, and counters to
measure energetic electrons and protons. APT downlink
frequency is 137.620 MHz, HRPT downlink frequency is
1698.0 MHz, Beacon frequency is 136.770 MHz. The audio
file was recorded on March 8th
1998 by DD1US.
|
Dec 30th
1994 |
1421 kg |
The
picture on the right was received on March 1st
1998 by DD1US and shows a comparison of the APT picture
received on 137.620 MHz to the HRPT picture (derived
from the internet).
|
In
the year 1998 I received a number of APT pictures from
NOAA 14. Click on the second picture on the right to
have a look at this collection.
|

|
SICH-1
#23657 (1995-046A) |
SICH-1
offered RADAR and thermal microwave imagery in addition
to the more usual visible light transmissions. Resolution
was approx. 1 km. SICH-1 transmitted APT on 137.400
MHz and higher resolution pictures at 465 MHz. The enclosed
audio file recorded on 137.400 MHz was kindly provided
by Mike DK3WN.
|
Aug 31st
1995 |
1950 kg |

|
INMARSAT
3F1 I3F1 IOR #23839 (1996-020A) |
Inmarsat I-3 F1 was the
first of the third generation Inmarsat satellites. It
was launched in 1996 on an Atlas-2A rocket to cover
the Indian Ocean Region. It was finally placed in a
geostationary orbit at 64° East. Its communication
system include 22(+11) L-band transponders (22W power
amplifiers) and a C-band uplink. |
April
3rd 1996 |
2068
kg |
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 13:52 UTC on 1547.730 MHz. Many thanks to Greg
Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 13:56 UTC on 1547.550 MHz. Many thanks to Greg
Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 14:00 UTC on 1545.900 MHz. Many thanks to Greg
Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 14:12 UTC on 1540.900 MHz. Many thanks to Greg
Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 14:17 UTC on 1539.390 MHz. Many thanks to Greg
Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 14:26 UTC on 1537.500 MHz. Many thanks to Greg
Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 14:31 UTC on 1533.730 MHz. Many thanks to Greg
Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
Its is amazing, how different
the various signals on the Inmarsat 3F1 transponders
are. Enclosed please find some more spectrum plots taken
on April 30th 2011 by Greg
Roberts.  |

|
UFO
7 UHF-FO 7 USA 127 #23967 (1996-042A) |
UFO 7
(Ultra High Frequency Follow On) is a geostationary
(25°W) military communications satellite. It carries
39 UHF channels with a total bandwidth of 555 kHz, a
SHF subsystem, 20 EHF channels. Recorded on Jan 5th
2008 on 249.125 MHz in LSB by Chris Gross in Pennsylvania
using a Yupiteru MVT-7100.
|
Jul
25th 1996 |
3015
kg |
Recorded
on Jan 5th 2008 on 267.035
MHz in LSB by Chris Gross in Pennsylvania using a Yupiteru
MVT-7100.
|

|
MUSAT-1
MO30 Microsat #24291 (1996-050A) |
MuSat
- 1 "Victor" was developed and built by a
25-person team at the Instituto Universitario Aeronautico,
under the Sponsorship of the government of the province
of Cordoba. MuSat-1 was launched together with Magion-5
and Prognoz M-2 by a Molniya-M rocket from Plesetsk
cosmodrome. It was the first satellite made in Argentina
and the 340x340x450mm Microsat was reported to be functional.
"Victor " is an experimental vehicle, intended
to evaluate in-orbit behavior of low-cost space technologies.
It carries two video cameras, oriented for earth-imaging,
as well as transceivers in both UHF and S bands. Electrical
power is provided by four 88-Si cells solar panels,
with an end-of-life electrical power of 8W. It finally
decayed on the November 12th
1999. The recorded beacon, which can be heard every
90 seconds on 137.95 MHz as a brief burst of CW "Hi
hi de MUSAT", was provided by Dale Ireland.
|
Aug
29th 1996 |
32
kg |
MUSAT-1
transmits a tone-modulated Morse-code signal which
is a burst of CW code of approx. 7 seconds in duration,
repeated every 90 seconds. It starts with: "HI
HI DE MUSAT....". This signal was received on 137.95
MHz on Jan 12th 1997 around 14:45
UTC by Sven Grahn.
|



|
INMARSAT
3F2 I3F2 AOR-E #24307 (1996-053A) |
Inmarsat 3F2 was built
by Lockheed Martin and is based on their GE-4000 platform.
It was launched without a apogee kick motor from Baykonur
on a Proton-K/DM-1 launcher (#243) and was thus directly
injected into a GSO. It geostationary orbit position
was finally at 15.5° West.
Inmarsat 3-F2’s primary mission is
to supply voice and data communications services worldwide
to mobile terminals such as small as pocket-size messaging
units on ships, air-crafts and vehicles. It can dynamically
reallocate both RF power and bandwidth among a global
beam and seven spot-beams, allowing greater reuse of
the available spectrums. The spot-beams are directed
as required to make extra communications capacity available
in areas where demand from users is high. Its main transponder
is an L-Band transponder (1.6/1.5 GHz) using two 2m
big dish based circular polarized antennas for up- and
down-link. You can see the 2 dishes in the lower left
picture. EIRP on L-Band is up to 48dBW. Its forward
bandwidth is 29 MHz, its return bandwidth is 39 MHz.
In addition it features a C-Band transponder (6.4/3.6
GHz) also using circular polarized antennas Its bandwidth
there is 39 MHz.
Furthermore I3F2 is also part of
the EGNOS satellite based augmentation system (SBAS).
Its carries a navigation transponder designed to enhance
the accuracy, availability and integrity of the GNSS
(GPS and Glonass) global navigation satellite systems. |
Sept
6th 1996 |
1150
kg |
Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 7th
2011 at 13:55 UTC from one of the paging channels of
Inmarsat 3F2. It is a slow MFSK signal. Many thanks
to Greg Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was recorded
by Greg Roberts on May 1st
2011 at 11:12 UTC on 1537.630 MHz.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was recorded
by Greg Roberts on May 1st
2011 at 11:24 UTC on 1537.932 MHz.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was recorded
by Greg Roberts on May 1st
2011 at 11:34 UTC on 1539.650 MHz.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was recorded
by Greg Roberts on May 1st
2011 at 12:00 UTC on 1575.420 MHz.
|
Its is amazing, how different
the various signals on the Inmarsat 3F2 transponders
are. Enclosed please find some spectrum plots each of
them being 190kHz wide and taken all by Greg Roberts
on May 1st 2011.  |


|
Iridium
8 #24792 (1997-020A) |
The IRIDIUM satellite
system provides worldwide voice and data coverage including
remote areas. When a subscriber is in a remote area
his handset will operate through the satellite network
whereas it will use terrestrial networks wherever available.
The satellite system is based on 66 active satellites
in low Earth circular orbits with an altitude of 780km
and an inclination of 86.4°. Originally the constellation
should have consisted of 77 active satellites and thus
the name of the 77th element
in the periodic table "Iridium" was chosen.
The communication system uses a combined FDMA/TDMA approach.
The communication to the terminals is in the frequency
range of 1616-1626,5 MHz. Up- and Downlinks to the basestations
and gateways as well as inter-satellite links operate
in the frequency ranges 19,4-19,6 GHz and 29,1-29,3
GHz. The
special shape of the antennae and solar panels can create
strong reflections of the sunlight known as Iridium
flares. You can calculate possible visible flares by
clicking on the picture to the right. |
May
5th 1997 |
689
kg |
Enclosed
IRIDIUM signal was received on April 22nd
2011 at 15:32 UTC around 1,6 GHz in SSB by Greg Roberts.
|
Enclosed
IRIDIUM signal was received on April 22nd
2011 at 15:35 UTC around 1,6 GHz in SSB by Greg Roberts.
|

|
INMARSAT
3F4 I3F4 AOR-W #24819 (1997-027A) |
Inmarsat I-3 F4 was the
fourth of the third generation Inmarsat satellites.
It was launched in 1997 from Kourou on an Ariane rocket
(V97) to cover the Western Atlantic Ocean Region. It
was finally placed in a geostationary orbit at 54°
West. Its communication system include 22(+11) L-band
transponders (22W power amplifiers) and a C-band uplink. |
June
2nd 1997 |
2400
kg |
 Enclosed
audio signal was received on April 30th
2011 at 15:13 UTC on 1540.66 MHz by Greg Roberts. It
sounds like noise but at the end of the recording you
can hear it change pitch as the signal shifts. Many
thanks to Greg Roberts for kindly providing this recording.
|
Also on Inmarsat 3F4
many different signals can be found on its transponders
are. Enclosed please find some spectrum plots each of
them being 190kHz wide and taken all by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 around 15:00
UTC.  |

|
METEOSAT-7
#24932 (1997-049B) |
METEOSAT-7,
a European meteorological satellite, was launched from
the Kourou space center in French Guiana aboard an Ariane
44LP rocket. It was the last member of the 1st
generation of METEOSAT satellites and was first placed
in a geosynchronous orbit at 10.2 deg W. Later Eumetsat
moved METEOSAT-7 to 0° E longitude. The standard
mode of operation was full-disk imagery in 3 channels
every half-hour. The 1691 MHz downlink signal was recorded
by Michael Fletcher OH2AUE on April 12th 2006 at 19:45UTC.
|
Sep
2nd 1997 |
3455
kg |
In April
2006 METEOSAT-7 was out of inclination-keeping fuel
and thus it was de-commissioned on June 14th
2006. This marked also the end of almost a quarter of
a century of Meteosat's 1st
generation transmissions. This is the very last transmission
from Meteosat-7 on June 14th
2006 before it was finally shut off. The recording was
kindly provided by Paul Marsh M0EYT.
|
Some time
later it turned out, that the APT transmissions of Meteosat-7
were not completely
stopped. After the satellite had been moved East to
53°E it continued to transmit APT pictures on 1691,007
MHz in FM modulation. Enclosed audio file was recorded
as well as the associated picture was decoded and kindly
provided on April 25th 2009
by Nils.
|

|
Iridium
43 #25039 (1997-069A) |
The IRIDIUM satellite
system provides worldwide voice and data coverage including
remote areas. It consists of 66 active satellites in
low Earth circular orbits with an altitude of 780km
and an inclination of 86.4°. The communication system
uses a combined FDMA/TDMA approach. The communication
to the terminals is in the frequency range of 1616-1626,5
MHz. Up- and Downlinks to the basestations and gateways
as well as inter-satellite links operate in the frequency
ranges 19,4-19,6 GHz and 29,1-29,3 GHz. Iridium 43 was
part of a strong rocket launch campaign which lasted
a year and a half and had followed a decade of planning
the system. Finally on November 1st
1998 Iridium began commercial operation and was thus
the first global satellite-based personal communication
system supporting handheld devices. |
Nov
9th 1997 |
689
kg |
 Enclosed
IRIDIUM signal was received on May 1st
2011 at 13:51 UTC on 1624,880 MHz in SSB by Greg Roberts.
|

|
COSMOS 2349 Kometa
#25167 (1998-009A) |
Cosmos
2349 was a Russian military photographic satellite and
part of the Yantar program. More precisely Cosmos
2349 was part of the Kometa series and was launched
by a Soyuz-U rocket from the Baikonur cosmodrome.
It
provided topographical maps of the US with a resolution
of 2m in accordance with a Russian-American project
called SPIN-2. The pictures were brought back to ground
by a return capsule (see picure to the right). The
PCM/FM telemetry signal ( 1 sec frame) was received
on 150.3 MHz on March 18th
1998 by Sven Grahn.
|
Feb 17th
1998 |
6600 kg |

|
NOAA 15
#25338 (1998-030A) |
NOAA-15
was the first in a series of five satellites called
POES with improved imaging and sounding capabilities.
The audio file was recorded on 137.500 MHz on July 16th
1998 by DD1US.
|
May 13th
1998 |
1475 kg |
During
the year 1998 and then again in summer 2011 I received
a number of APT pictures from NOAA-15. Click on the
picture on the right to have a look at this collection.
|
NOAA-15
was still active 10 years later as the recording from
Patrick DK193WN on June 26th
2008 shows. His R2FX receiver was tuned to 137.500 MHz.
|
The
S-Band downlink at 1544.500 MHz was received and recorded
as a spectrum plot by Paul M0YET on October 13th
2007.
|
 On
May 8th 2009 Nils received
enclosed APT picture from NOAA-15, which shows nicely
the ash-cloud coming from a volcano on Iceland. The
picture on the right shows the details of the cloud
based on another source. The pictures were kindly provided
by Nils.
|

|
RESURS
O1-N4 RESURS-O1 #4 #25394 (1998-043A) |
RESURS
O1-N4 is a Russian natural resources sensing satellite
that was launched from Baykonur using a Zenit 2 rocket
to perform ecological and meteorological monitoring.
The transmitted APT picture and the audio file were
received on 137.850 MHz on February 28th
1999 at 10:30 UTC by Mike DK3WN.
|
July 10th
1998 |
1250 kg |


|
Afristar
AfriStar 1 #25515 (1998-063A) |
AfriSta was launched
with Ariane 44L from Kourou it was the first Worldspace
satellite. It was placed into a geostationary orbit
at 21° East. Its mission is to provide digital audio
and multimedia services to emerging and under-served
markets of the world. Its uplink is in X-band and the
downlin is in L-band. Its transponder feature 53 dBW
ERIP. |
October
28th 1998 |
1205
kg |
 The beacon
of Afristar-1 is at 1491.7030 MHz. On April 30th
2011 at 16:40 UTC Greg Roberts received one of its sidebands
in USB at 1491.7429 MHz.
|
 This pulsing
carrier of Afristar-1 was found on 1487.884 MHz on April
30th 2011 at 10:28 UTC by Greg
Roberts.
|

|
ZY-2A ZY
2A PRC 44 #26481
(2000-050A) |
Zhangguo
Ziyuan 2 (China Resource 2), also known as PRC 44 and
as ZY 2 is a Chinese remote sensing spacecraft that
was launched by a Long March 4B rocket from Taiyuan
launch center into a sun synchronous orbit. Transmissions
were on 179.951 MHz and a CW signal on 479.869 MHz.
Enclosed
3.3 sec telemetry frame was received on 179.971 MHz
on September 24th 2000 at 10:10 UTC by Sven Grahn. He
also provided enclosed analysis of this signal.
|
Sept. 1st
2000 |
? kg |

|
MEGSAT-1
#26546 (2000-057B) |
Megsat-1 is an Italian
environment monitoring satellite and was launched by
a Dnepr rocket from Baikonur into a circular orbit with
64.6° inclination and about 642km height. Megsat-1
was launched together with 4 other microsatellites which
were Tiungsat-1, Unisat, Saudisat-1A and Saudisat-1B.
Megsat-1 followed Megsat-0 which had been launched on
April 28th 1999 in order to
offer 64kbps Store and Forward communications with a
downlink at 137.905 MHz. It carries two scientific payloads
to measure UV emissions from the aurora borealis to
determine their correlation with solar activity in oxygen
lines and to measure near-UV night sky background emissions. |
Sept
26th 2000 |
56 kg |
The audio
file enclosed was received on 137.905 MHz in FM on April
13th 2009 around 07:43 UTC
by Sven Grahn.
|
The audio
file enclosed was received on 137.905 MHz on April 14th
2009 around 13:00 UTC by Nils.
|
Megsat-1
was still active after 10 years of operation. Enclosed
weak but discernable signal was received on October
15th 2010 at 07:37 UTC on 137.904
MHz in FM by Patrick DK193WN. Recording kindly provided
by Patrick.
|

|
MAROC-TUBSAT #26704
(2001-056D)
|
Maroc-Tubsat
is a Moroccan microsatellite which was launched by a
Zenit rocket from Baikonur. Its primary mission was
the test of a 3D attitude control system. Enclosed
morse-code signal was received on 144.1 MHz on January
23rd 2002 by Sven Grahn.
|
Dec 10th
2001 |
47 kg |

|
NOAA
17 NOAA M #27453 (2002-032A) |
One of
the fourth-generation of operational, polar orbiting,
meteorological satellites. Enclosed audio file was recorded
on March 19th 2008 at 11:45UTC
in FM on 137.620 MHz by DD1US.
|
Jun
24th 2002 |
1457
kg |
The
APT picture to the right from Noaa 17 was received on
October 20th 2002 on 137.620
MHz in FM by DD1US.
|
 This
sound file and the corresponding APT picture were received
by Patrick DK193WN on Sept 14th
2008 on 137.620 MHz from NOAA-17.
|
On October
22nd 2010 Patrick received
enclosed signal from NOAA-17 which contains only half
a picture and the rest looks like a barcode. This is
due to a degradation of the AVHRR scan motor in Noaa
17 which became critical February 19th
2010. Recording was kindly provided by Patrick Hajagos.
|
Mid
of 2011 NOAA 17 was still exhibiting the same problem
as can be seen in the picture enclosed. Recorded on
August 16th 2011 at 09:59 UTC
by DD1US.
|

|
MIMOSA
#27841 (2003-031B) |
MIMOSA
(MIcroMeasurements Of Satellite Accelerations) is a
Czech minisatellite which is nearly spherical with 28
sides and carries a microaccelerometer to monitor the
atmospheric density profile by sensing the atmospheric
drag. CW transmission was recorded on 137.143 MHz by
Mike D. Kenny.
|
Jun 30th
2003 |
66 kg |

|
Smart-1 moon Orbiter
#27949 (2003-043C) |
Launched
by ESA on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou. Mission
ended September 3rd 2006 with
its planned impact into moon. It transmitted at 8453.024225
MHz and at 32121.49350 MHz. The spectrum plot was recorded
at 8453 MHz on August 15th
2006 and was kindly provided by www.uhf-satcom.com.
|
Sep 27th
2003 |
367 kg |

|
Molniya 1-93 Molniya
1-T #28163 2004-005A |
Russian
Military Communications satellite. Highly elliptical
Molniya orbit. Enclosed signal of its sweeping carrier
was received on 1000.44 MHz on July 26th
2006 by Sven Grahn.
|
Feb 18th
2004 |
2000 kg |

|
UNISAT-3
#28373 (2004-025H) |
UNISAT-3
is an Italian, scientific microsatellite designed to
test solar cells in the space environment, to measure
magnetic fields to compute the satellite altitude and
to test radio communications. 9600 Baud GMSK signal
recorded on 435.230 MHz during its first days after
launch by Brian Hougesen OZ1SKY.
|
Jun 29th
2004 |
12 kg |

|
HAMSAT
VUSat OSCAR-52 #28650 (2005-017B) |
HAMSAT
is an Indian (ISRO) microsatellite. It relays amateur
VHF radio communications. There seems to be also a non-amateur-radio
PCM/BPSK transmission which was recorded on 137.175
MHz by Mike D. Kenny.
|
May 5th
2005 |
42.5 kg |

|
NOAA
18 NOAA N #28654 (2005-18A) |
The APT
downlink frequencies are VTX-1: 137.100 MHz and VTX-2:
137.9125 MHz. Noaa-18 switched from VTX-2 to VTX-1 on
January 4th 2006 and back from
VTX-1 to VTX-2 on July 20th
2006 at 13:20 UTC. Later, on Thursday, August 16th 2007
at 14:46 UTC it was again switched back to VTX-1 and
since then transmits on 137.100 MHz. The beacon frequency
is 137.350 MHz. Enclosed audio file was recorded on
March 19th 2008 at 10:40UTC in FM (BW only 15 kHz) by
DD1US.
|
Jun
24th 2005 |
1457
kg |
This
APT signal was received with less noise by Alan Banks.
|
 This
sound file and the corresponding APT picture were received
by Patrick DK193WN on May 3rd
2008 on 137.100 MHz from NOAA-18.
|
 During
my summer vacation 2011 I received NOAA 18 multiple
times. You can find a number of pictures following the
link associated with the picture to the right. Here
is a sound file recorded on 137.9125 MHz on August 19th
2011 at 13:09 UTC by DD1US.
|

|
Mozhayets
5 Sinah-1 Roskosmos RS-25 #28898
(2005-043G) |
Mozhayets 5 = Sinah-1
is an educational technology satellite carrying a laser
communications experiment. It is based on the Strela
1M2 platform. It is reported that Mozhayets 5 failed
to detach from the upper stage of the Kosmos 3M launcher.
Therefore its NORAD number is identical to the launcher
(and thus RUBIN-5 see below). |
Oct
27th 2005 |
160
kg |
Sinah-1
includes a russian CW beacon transmitting on 435.325
MHz with the callsign RS-25. This beacon was recorded
by Mike DK3WN on Oct. 29th
2005 at 23:22 UTC.
|
Sinah-1
is also transmitting digital data in FM on 435.325 MHz.
Recorded by Maik Hermenau.
|

|
RUBIN-5
SAFIR-S #28898 (2005-043G) |
The launch of Mozhayets
5 also includes 2 experiments from Germany. Rubin-5
is a technology/communications payload using the ORBCOMM
system. It remained intentionally attached to the rocket
final stage (it is part of the adapter used to deploy
the other satellites). It included the AATiS SAFIR-S
amateur transponder and the ESA ASOLANT solar-powered
GPS antenna experiment. SAFIR-S transmitted on 2401.9
MHz. |
Oct 27th
2005 |
64 kg |


|
INMARSAT
4F2 I4F2 #28899 (2005-044A) |
Inmarsat I-4 F2 was the
second of the fourth generation Inmarsat satellites
built by Astrium. It was launched in 2005 on a Zenit
3SL rocket to cover the Indian Ocean Region. It was
finally placed in a geostationary orbit at 25.3°
East. The total power of the satellite is 13 kWatts
and it uses 200 spot beams to provide video, data, video-conference
and internet services. It supports the Broadband Global
Area Network (B-GAN). |
Nov
8th 2005 |
5958
kg |
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1530.390 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 11:13
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1532.0375 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 11:18
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1532.660 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 11:29
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1534.060 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 11:35
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1535.865 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 11:44
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1541.700 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 12:01
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1545.085 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 12:41
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1546.465 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 12:46
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1547.860 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 12:49
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1551.465 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 12:54
UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal and associated spectrum plot was received
on 1575.440 MHz.in USB and recorded by Greg Roberts
on April 30th 2011 at 12:54
UTC.
|

|
MSG 2
METEOSAT-9 #28912 (2005-049B) |
MSG 2 (Meteosat
Second Generation 2) is a European (ESA) geostationary
weather satellite, with operational control by the EUMETSAT
organization. The craft was renamed Meteosat 9 after
it was moved to is geostationary final position at 0.0°
longitude . It is spin-stabilized and carries two main
instruments. SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed
Imager) will
provide images taken in four visible and eight infrared
channels every 15 minutes, at a resolution of 1 km in
visible light and 3 km in infrared. The false colour
picture enclosed shows the full Earth disk and was recorded
on May 31st 2008 at 12:00 UTC.
Copyright MSG_Data@2008_Eumetsat. Thanks to Alan Banks
for kindly providing the picture. |
Dec 21st
2005 |
2000 kg |




|
MetOp-A
#29499 (2006-044A) |
MetOp-A is the first
European polar orbiting satellite. MetOp-A carries a
suite of 13 instruments to closely observe weather systems
and climate trends. Five of these are considered new
and were developed in Europe. The others are provided
by NOAA and the French space agency, CNES, having flown
on several earlier U.S. weather satellites. MetOp-A
includes an UHF receiver (401.65 MHz) and signal processor
for locating and/or collecting meteorological data from
remote fixed and free floating terrestrial and atmospheric
platforms. The UHF downlink for this ADCS (Advanced
Data Collection System) system is at 465.9875 MHz where
Metop-A transmits data with 200 bit/s or 400 bit/s.
Furthermore it features a VHF/UHF transponder and signal
processor for locating and collecting information from
remote distress platforms such as Emergency Locator
Transmitters (ELTs) transmitting on 121.5 (±
20 kHz), 243.0 (± 30 kHz), and 406.05 MHz (±
80 kHz), and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
(EPIRBs) transmitting on 406 MHz. These bands are then
summed with 2.4 kbps data from the SARP-3 (beacons of
aircraft and ships in distress) unit and the resulting
signal phase-modulates the L-band downlink transmitter
(1544.5 MHz ± 400 kHz).
|
Oct
19th 2006 |
4100
kg |
 The
spectrum plots of the S-Band downlink at 2230 MHz were
recorded by Paul M0YET on Sept 30th
2007 at 20:43UTC and on Nov 13th 2007 at 10:42UTC.
|
 Enclosed
audio signal of the L-band downlink of Metop-A was received
on May 2nd 2011 at 09:47 UTC
at 1544.500 MHz in USB. Many thanks to Greg Roberts
for kindly providing this recording.
|
Enclosed
audio signal from Metop-A was received on December 28nd
2011 at 21:08 UTC at 2230 MHz. Many thanks to Paul Marsh
for kindly providing this recording.
|

|
GeneSat-1
#29655 (2006-058C) |
GeneSat-1
was built by NASA and Santa Clara State University and
carried biological experiments (E.Coli K-12 bacteria).
It used the ham radio callsign KE7EGC in spite of the
fact that it was not an official ham radio satellite.
It operated on a downlink of 437.067 MHz and transmitted
1200bd AX.25 packets. Recorded on December 17th
2006 at 03:22 UTC on 437.067 MHz in FM by Mike DK3WN.
|
Dec 16th
2006 |
4.6 kg |


|
Falconsat-3
#30776 (2007-006E) |
FalconSat-3
was developed by U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado,
United States, and was launched on an Atlas-5(401) rocket
from Cape Canaveral into a circular orbit with a height
of 560km and an inclination of 35 degrees. The three
primary experiments are - Flat Plasma Spectrometer
(FLAPS), a planar electrostatic analyzer used to measure
ion spectra differential in energy - Plasma Local
Anomalous Noise Environment (PLANE) experiment, a bifurcated
retarding potential analyzer capable of distinguishing
between ambient and spacecraft-induced turbulence
- Micro-Propulsion Attitude Control System (MPACS),
consisting of a set of Teflon-fueled pulsed plasma thrusters
used to stabilize satellite attitude. Falconsat-3
is switched on during most day and evening passes over
the USAFA with a very strong downlink on UHF. It is
running the pacsat file system so anyone with WiSP can
copy telemetry. It was expected to be transferred
to full amateur radio service two years later which
did not happen until mid 2011. The planned datarates
were on the uplink at 145 MHz 9k6 bps and on the downlink
at 435 MHz either 9k6, 38k4 or 76k8 bps. |
Mar 9th
2007 |
54 kg |

|
CanX-2
#32797 (2008-021L) |
CanX-2 (Canadian
Advanced Nanospace eXperiments) was built by University
of Toronto, Canada and was launched together with 6
amateur radio cubesats. With a size of 10x10x34cm and
a weight of 3.5 kg it is the second nano-satellite within
the Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXpermiment (CanX).
CanX-2 transmits data on its S-band downlink in the
2.2 GHz Space Research Service Band. Due to power limitations
this transmitter is only activated when the satellite
is over the ground station in Toronto, Canada. Its 70cm
transmitter (437.478 MHz, 4 kbps GFSK) has not been
turned on yet. |
Apr 28th
2008 |
3.5 kg |

|
STS-126
Endeavour OV-105 #33441 (2008-059A) |
STS-126
is the 27th shuttle mission to the International Space
Station. STS-126 delivered the italian MPLM (multi purpose
logistic module) "Leonardo" which gave the
International Space Station ISS the ability to support
twice the crew than previously living there. The
spectrum plot of the S-band downlink at 2217.5 MHz was
recorded on November 16th 2008 05:17UTC by Loren WA7SKT.
You can see the multiple subcarriers containing data. |
Nov 15th
2008 |
2048979
kg |


|
OMID
#33506 (2009-004A) |
OMID (Iranian
for "hope") is the 1st
satellite built and launched domestically by Iran on
a Safir 2 rocket. It is a small technology satellite
carrying an instrument to measure the space environment,
and a GPS receiver modified for use in the unstabilized
satellite. Its mission is defined to be data-processing
for research and telecommunications. The downlink frequencies
coordinated by ITU are 464.98750 MHz and 465.01250
MHz (@ +7 dBW). The uplink command frequency is at 401
MHz. |
Feb
2nd 2009 |
25
kg |
The telemetry
downlink signal was received by Paul M0YET using a receiver
with a NFM demodulator (15kHz bandwidth). It is a 600Bd
manchester encoded data stream (300Bd data).
|
Paul
M0YET kindly provided the enclosed spectrum plot of
the downlink signal which he recorded on Feb 4th
2009 at 17:18h UTC. Please note that the downlink is
not continuously activated and seems to be switched
between 2 different TX modes.
|


|
NOAA
19 NOAA N' #33591 (2009-005A) |
NOAA N' was severly damaged
in an factory accident in September 2003. Therefore
the launch was delayed until early 2009 when it was
finally launched on a Delta-II rocket from Vandenberg
Airforce Base in USA. The APT downlink frequencies are
VTX-1: 137.100 MHz and VTX-2: 137.9125 MHz. After launch
it started using VTX-2. Also the S-band AVHRR downlink
signal on 1702.5 MHz was received. The beacon frequency
is 137.770 MHz. The HRPT downlink frequency is 1698
MHz. |
Feb
6th 2009 |
1457
kg |
Paul
M0YET detected an additional downlink signal on 465.99
MHz using the modulation: 400 bps HDLC, Bi-phase-L,
PM . It comes from the ARGOS-3 A-DCS system. He recorded
the spectrum plot on Feb 7th 2009 at 11:30h UTC.
|
 This
sound file and the associated APT picture shown on the
right were received by Mike DK3WN on Feb 7th
2009 around 13:15UTC on 137.9125 MHz.
|
Mike
Kenny in Australia received APT signals of NOAA 19 during
north-bound passes in the Southern Hemisphere. The audio
file was recorded on February 8th
2009 at 04:03UTC. The picture was recorded on February
7th 2009 at 04:07UTC.
|
Enclosed
excellent picture from NOAA 19 was received on April
17th 2011 at 13:14 UTC by DG3IX.
Kindly provided by Thomas DG3IX.
|
 During
my summer vacation 2011 I received NOAA 19 multiple
times. You can find a number of pictures following the
link associated with the picture to the right. Here
is a sound file recorded on 137.100 MHz on August 21st
2011 at 11:04 UTC by DD1US.
|

|
PharmaSat-1
#35002 (2009-028B) |
PharmaSat-1
is s a follow on to the highly successful GeneSat-1
Mission. The Ames Small Spacecraft Division is collaborating
with industry and local universities to develop the
next generation fully-automated, miniaturized triple
cubesat spaceflight system for biological payloads.
The PharmaSat experiment and flight system are designed
to measure the influence of microgravity upon yeast
resistance to an antifungal agent. PharmaSat implements
PI guided science focused on questions key to countermeasure
development for long-term space travel and habitation.
It uses a FM 1k2 AFSK AX.25 communications downlink
at 437.465 MHz. Received by Mike DK3WN on May 21st
2009 at 16:25 UTC.
|
May 19th
2009 |
5 kg |


|
HawkSat-1
#35003 (2009-028C) |
HawkSat-1
is a single-unit Cubesat which was built and will be
operated by the Hawk Institute for Space Science. It
is based on a CubeSat kit from Pumpkin Incorporated
and carries a technology demonstration payload, primarily
as a proof-of-concept mission, testing command, data
and power subsystems. It is powered by solar cells.
Experimental data will be returned to Earth by means
of a store and dump communications systems. The downlink
frequency is 437.345 MHz. |
May 19th
2009 |
1 kg |

|
PolySat
CP6 #35004 (2009-028D) |
CP6 was
built at California Polytechnic State University at
San Luis Obispo. Its primary mission is to implement
an attitude control system using only magnetic torquers
embedded within the side panels. Attitude determination
is performed using two-axis magnetometers on each side
panel as well as observation imagers on the payload
face. Once the primary objectives have been met, a command
will be sent to deploy the secondary payload that consists
of a series of spring steel tapes supporting an electron
collection experiment provided by Naval Research Laboratory.
CP6 uses two FM 1k2 AFSK AX.25 communications downlinks
with transmit power of 1 W. The estimated center frequencies
of the alternating transmitters (several burst COMM
A, then COMM B) are COMM A = 437.3655 MHz and COMM B
= 437.3664 MHz. Received by Mike DK3WN on May 20th
2009 at 17:59 UTC.
|
May
19th 2009 |
1
kg |
Enclosed
signal was recorded on July 31st
2009 at 08:45 UTC by Mike DK3WN.
|

|
Meteor M1
Meteor-M-1 #35865 (2009-049A) |
Meteor
M1 is a Russian weather satellite launched on a Soyuz
2 (#7) rocket from Baikonur into a 840 km sun-synchronous
orbit. This new generation of weather satellites features
digital VHF transmissions (LRPT) instead of the traditional
analog APT transmissions. The downlink frequency is
137.100 MHz. Enclosed signal was recorded on Dec.
19th 2009 at 20:10 UTC by Mike
DK3WN.
|
Sept 17th
2009 |
2755 kg |

|
UGATUSAT
RS-28 #35868 (2009-049D) |
Ugatusat (Ufimskiy Gosudarstvenniy
Aviatsionniy Tekhnicheskiy Universitet Satellite) is
a remote sensing and educational satellite developed
by Ugatu (Ufa State Aviation Technical University) and
built by PO Polyot. It features a camera with a resolution
of 50m. Ugatusat was launched on a Soyuz 2 (#7) rocket
into a 823km circular orbit with an inclination of 98.8°.
Ugatusat failed end of 2009. |
Sept
17th 2009 |
35
kg |
Ugatusat
transmitted CW on 435.264 MHz using the callsign RS-28.
Enclosed CW beacon signal was recorded on Sept. 27th
2009 at 19:00 UTC by Mike DK3WN.
|



|
Tatyana-2
Tatiana-2 Universitetsky 2 RS-38 #35869
(2009-049E) |
Tatyana-2
is a small (100kg) international research and educational
satellite built under the lead of Moscow State University
(MGU) in cooperation with Ewha Womans University (EWU)
in Seoul, Korea, Seoul National University, Pusan (Korea)
National University and University of Puebla (BUAP),
Mexico. The satellite is 3 axis stabilized and
has 3 scientific mission objectives: 1.) to investigate
light phenomena in the Earth’s atmosphere due to the
effect of galaxy cosmic rays and high-energy charged
particles 2.) to investigate en-route radiation
conditions 3.) to investigate variations of the
Earth’s gravitational and magnetic fields. Its reported
downlink frequencies are: - VHF (145 MHz for 1.2
kbit/s TT&C data), - UHF (435.440 MHz and 435.490
MHz for onboard systems telemetry CW abd 9.6 kbit/s
DOKA) - L-band (1.708 GHz 665.4kbit/s for scientific
telemetry). Tatyana uses the callsign RS-38 for its
CW transmissions on 435.490 MHz. |
Sept
17th 2009 |
98
kg |
The CW
downlink of RS-38 on 435.490 MHz was recorded on December
30th at 09:30 UTC by DD1US.
The first part of the 5 min recording was demodulated
in CW mode, the last part in NFM mode.
|

|
SwissCube
#35932 (2009-051B) |
SwissCube
is the first satellite entirely built in Switzerland.
This 10x10x10cm Cubesat was mainly built by more than
180 students from different universities under the supervision
of the Swiss Space Center EPFL in Lausanne. It was launched
via the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) from Satish
Dhawan Space Center in India. It contains a Ham Radio
downlink transmitting on 437.505 MHz using the callsign
HB9EG/1. Enclosed CW beacon signal was recorded on Sept.
25th 2009 at 11:06 UTC by Mike
DK3WN.
|
Sept
23rd 2009 |
1
kg |
Enclosed
CW beacon signal was recorded on Sept. 26th
2009 at 11:56 UTC by Mike DK3WN.
|
Enclosed
recording of the 1200bd BPSK downlink signal was kindly
provided by Mike DK3WN.
|

|
UWE-2
#35933 (2009-051C) |
UWE-2 is
the second cubesat built by the University of Wuerzburg
in Germany. It was launched via the PSLV (Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle) from Satish Dhawan Space Center in India.
The published downlink is 437.385 MHz (FSK, 1k2 AFSK
/ 9k6 FSK AX.25) with a transmit power of 0.5W. |
Sept
23rd 2009 |
1
kg |
Enclosed
1k2 AFSK packet radio downlink signal was recorded on
Sept 25th 2009 at 12:44 UTC
by Mike DK3WN. Please note that the long pauses between
the packets were removed to reduce the file size.
|

|
BeeSat
#35934 (2009-051D) |
BeeSat is a 10x10x10cm
Cubesat built by the University of Berlin. It was launched
via the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) from Satish
Dhawan Space Center in India. It contains a Ham Radio
downlink transmitting with 100mW output power on 436.0
MHz. Signals are either CW or 4k8/9k6 GMSK telemetry
both using the callsign DP0BEE. Beesat is not using
AX.25 format but Mobitex format. The used modem is a
CMX909B(CML). |
Sept
23rd 2009 |
1
kg |
Enclosed
signal was recorded on Oct. 21st
2009 by Mike DK3WN.
|
Enclosed
CW beacon signal was recorded on Oct. 21st
2009 by Mike DK3WN.
|

|
ITUpSat1
#35935 (2009-051E) |
ITUpSAT1
is the first cubesat / picosat built by Technical University
Istambul in Turkey. It was launched via the PSLV (Polar
Satellite Launch Vehicle) from Satish Dhawan Space Center
in India. Enclosed CW signal from ITUpSat was received
on 437.325 MHz by Mike DK3WN.
|
Sept 23rd
2009 |
1 kg |



|
PRISMA
#36599 (2010-028B) |
PRISMA (Prototype Research
Instruments and Space Mission Advancement) was launched
on a Dnepr rocket from the Dombarovsky Missile Base,
Russia into a sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude
of 710 km. PRISMA actually consists of two satellites,
nicknamed Mango and Tango, which separated in space
and test technologies and rendezvous and formation flying
in space. Mango (140 kg main satellite) and Tango (40
kg target satellite) are communicating via an ISL (inter
satellite link) operating at 400.550 MHz using FSK modulation.
|
June
15th 2010 |
180
kg |
Enclosed
recording of the signals of the 2 satellites was done
on August 16th 2010 at 06:22
UTC by DD1US. Because of the used CW demodulation you
can hear the longer pulsed signal from Tango (880ms)
and the shorter pulsed signal from Mango (300ms) with
a slight frequency offset (pitch).
|
 These
recordings were made on August 16th
2010 at 16:45 UTC on 400.550 MHz by DD1US. The first
part was recorded using a NFM demodulator (the bandwidth
was only 10 kHz and should have been 20 kHz), the second
part was recorded in CW.
|
Finally I received Prisma
once more on that same day August
16th 2010 at 20:05 UTC and
created enclosed waterfall plot with a Perseus SDR connected
to the 10.7 MHz IF output of my receiver. You can see
the longer transmission from Tango and the shorter transmission
from Mango. |


|
RAX
USA 218 #37223 (2010-062B) |
RAX (Radio Aurora Explorer)
is a joint venture between the University of Michigan
and SRI International. Its primary mission objective
is to study large plasma formations in the ionosphere,
the highest region of our atmosphere. This science spacecraft
was developed by over 40 students (undergraduate through
graduate), six professional engineers, and one Michigan
professor in just two years time. RAX is a standard
3U CubeSat that is 10 cm x 10 cm x 34 cm in size and
2.8 kg in mass. RAX was launched on November 20th
2010 at 01:25 UTC from the Kodiak Launch Complex in
Kodiak, Alaska aboard a Minotaur IV rocket into a 650km
circular orbit. The radio payload includes a bistatic
radar receiver (426-512 MHz), a GPS receiver, a 2.4
GHz 115kbps GMSK transceiver and a UHF 38.4kbps transceiver
which is also used for the Amateur Radio telemetry downlink.
This downlink at 437.505 MHz uses GMSK modulation to
broadcast a 9600bd data downlink signal ever 20 seconds.
The callsign used is RAX-1. The downlink transmit power
is 750 mW and the polarization used is RHCP. |
Nov
20th 2010 |
2.8
kg |
Mike DK3WN was first
in receiving and successfully decoding RAX on November
20th 2010 at 04:20 UTC. |
Mike DK3WN
received and decoded enclosed 9k6 downlink signal from
RAX on November 21st 2010 on
437.505 MHz. The 9k6 transmission burst sound like "noise"
to our ear but you can recognize them when the "noise"
gets lower volume. The pauses between the bursts were
shortened in enclosed recording. Recording kindly provided
by Mike DK3WN.
|


|
O/OREOS
USA 219 #37224 (2010-062C) |
Organism/Organic Exposure
to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS) is a nanosatellite based
on a 3U cubesat structure. The goal of the O/OREOS
mission is to be able to conduct low-cost astrobiology
science experiments on autonomous nanosatellites in
space. O/OREOS was launched together with RAX on
November 20th 2010 at 01:25
UTC from Kodiak Launch Complex in Kodiak, Alaska aboard
a Minotaur IV rocket. It features a 1200bd AX.25
AFSK downlink at 437.505 MHz which transmits every 5
seconds using the callsign KF6JBP. |
Nov
20th 2010 |
5.5
kg |
Mike
DK3WN received the 1k2 AFSK downlink signal on November
20th 2010 at 04:20 UTC. He
was first providing decoded data to the O/OREOS team
in USA. Recording kindly provided by Mike DK3WN.
|
Also Henk
PA3GUO was able to receive and decode the 1200bd downlink
signal at 437.505 MHz on November 20th
at 06:00 UTC. Enclosed recording was kindly provided
by Henk PA3GUO.
|

|
FASTSAT
FASTSAT-HSV 01 USA 220 #37225 (2010-062D) |
Another satellite
launched on the same rocket on November 20th
2010 was FastSat (Fast Affordable Scientific and Technology
Satellite) which is a small technological low cost satellite
built by the "von Braun" Center for Space
Innovation in Huntsville Alabama USA. Among the 6 payloads
was NanoSail-D2, a technology experiment to demonstrate
FASTSAT's ability to eject a nano-satellite into space. |
Nov 20th
2010 |
140 kg |



|
NanoSail-D2
# 37225 (2010-062D) |
NanoSail-D2 is a triple CubeSat and
was supposed to be ejected from FastSat about 1 week
after its launch. However it failed to leave FastSat
on December 6th 2010 but was
spontaneously ejected on January 19th
2011 and subsequently successfully deployed its 10 m2
sail 3 days later.
After its deployment NaanoSail-D2 transmitted
every 10 seconds a 1200bd AX.25 beacon in FM/AFSK on
437.270 MHz using the callsign KE7EGC. This
beacon allowed to monitor the battery voltage as well
as the successful sail deployment 72 hours after ejection
as can be seenn in enclosed analysis of Mike DK3WN. |
Nov
20th 2010 |
4
kg |
 Enclosed
signal of NanoSail-D2 was received and decoded on January
20th 2011 at 18:30 UTC by Mike
DK3WN. Thanks Mike for the recording.
|

|
USA224
NRO-L49 # 37348 (2011-002A) |
USA224, also called NRO Launch 49
(NRO L-49), is an American reconnaissance satellite.
It is the 15th keyhole KH-11
optical imaging satellite and has the nickname Betty.
It was the first launch of a Delta-IV-Heavy rocket from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. USA-224 has
a low Earth orbit with an apogee of 1023km, a perigee
of 251km and an inclination of 97.9 degrees. |
Jan
20th 2011 |
approx.
13000 kg |
 Enclosed
signal from USA-224 was received on January 23rd
2011 at 23:28 UTC on 2242.518 MHz. You can see the strong
PSK sidebands 1.024 MHz left and right from the carrier.
The recording of the carrier and the spectrum plot were
kindly provided by Paul Marsh M0EYT from www.uhf-satcom.com.
|

|
RESOURCESAT-2
#37387 (2011-015A) |
RESOURCESAT-2
was the primary payload of a launch by India on a PSLV
rocket. Together with RESOURCESAT-2 two other satellites
were launched: YOUTHSAT and X-SAT. The
downlink frequency of RESOURCESAT-2 is the same as RESOURCESAT-1
and thus 2250.000 Mhz. Enclosed spectrum plot was kindly
provided by Greg Roberts. |
April 20th
2011 |
1200kg |


|
YOUTHSAT
#37388 (2011-015B) |
YOUTHSAT was
constructed by students in India and Russia and launched
by India on PSLV-C16 (polar satellite launch vehicle).
The main objective of the mission is to provide a platform
to aerospace students across the world for space experiments
(including studies of solar radiation) and associated
data-processing for the benefit of future generations
and humanity as a whole. The suggested downlink
frequencies are 180.01 MHz, 400.02 MHz and 2254.340
MHz. The
S-band downlink signal has been confirmed by Greg Roberts
who kindly provided the spectrum plot enclosed. |
April 20th
2011 |
92 kg |

|
X-SAT
#37389 (2011-015C) |
X-SAT is
Singapores first national satellite, operating mainly
on X-band but also carries an S-band transmitter. It
was launched by India on a PSLV rocket. It's primary
mission is Earth observation and satellite based data
acquisition/distribution/messaging using mobile terminals. |
April 20th
2011 |
105 kg |



|
RASAD-1
#37675 (2011-025A) |
Rasad 1
is the second Iranian nano-satellite. It was built by
the Malek Ashtar University in Tehran. The expected
operational life time is 2 months. It was launched on
a Safir rocket in a low earth orbit with a height of
236x299 km and an inclination of 56 degrees. It is an
experimental earth observation satellite with a resolution
of about 150 meters. Rasad-1 transmits a burst signal
on 465 MHz at about 30 kHz bandwidth. There is a second
frequency allocation for Rasad-1 at 401 MHz but it is
unclear whether this is only used for uplink or also
for downlink. |
June
15th 2011 |
15
kg |
 Enclosed
signal from RASAD-1 was received on June 19th
2011 at 10:30 UTC on 465.000 MHz. The recording of the
signal and the spectrum plot were kindly provided by
Paul Marsh M0EYT from www.uhf-satcom.com.
|
 In the
following days, the downlink signal changed to a carrier
which was modulated with a 1kHz tone. The
tone is occasionally interrupted by some short data
bursts. You can see in the spectrum and waterfall plot,
that the carrier is slightly and the 2nd
harmonic of the 1 kHz tone is significantly suppressed.
Up to the 7th harmonic of the
tone can be seen in the spectrum. The downlink signal
is sometimes switched on/off, which can be also seen
also in enclosed pass which was observed on June 26th
2011 starting at 06:30 UTC. The
complete pass is shown in the spectrum plot and the
two audio recordings represent the two phases of the
interrupted transmission. Besides the signal from RASAD-1
you can see a terrestrial wideband signal (in green
and blue color). A 10.7 MHz IF frequency corresponds
to a 465.000 MHz RF frequency.
|



|
TACSAT-4
INP #37818 (2011-052A) |
TACSAT 4 also known
as INP (Tactical Microsatellite Innovative Naval Prototype)
is a US Navy 4th generation communications satellite
featuring 10 UHF communications channels and a 3.8m
wide deployable dish antenna. Power is generated by
2 deployable solar cell arrays. TACSAT-4 was launched
into a highly elliptical orbit from Kodiak by a Minotaur-4
rocket. The geo-synchronous orbit features an apogee
of 12050 km. |
Sept.
27th 2011 |
450
kg |
The
S-band downlink of TACSAT-4 was received on 2206.1044
MHz on October 2st 2011 from
04:03 until 06:06 UTC by Loren Moline WA7SKT. Enclosed
spectrum plot was generated at 04:17 UTC and kindly
provided by Loren.
|
 Enclosed
audio recording and associated spectrum plot of TACSAT-4
was received on December 28th
2011 at 20:40 UTC on 2206.120 MHz by Paul Marsh.
|


|
JUGNU
JNU #37839 (2011-058B) |
This nanosatellite based
on a triple cubesat design was built by a team of 12
professors and 40 students from IIT-K (Indian Institute
of Technology Kanpur) in India. It was launched by PSLV
C-18 from Satish Space Centre (SDSC), Shriharikota,
India into a LEO orbit with 20 degrees inclination.
The primary payload was Mega-Tropique, a French/Indian
meteorological satellite. JNU carries a micro-imaging
system, a GPS receiver and a MEMS based intertial measurement
unit. The downlink frequency of the CW telemetry beacon
with an output power of 50 mW is 437.275 MHz. |
Oct.
12th 2011 |
3.5
kg |
Enclosed
CW telemetry signal of JUGNU was received and recorded
by Noguchi-san JA5BLZ on October 14th
2011 at 03:29 UTC. Kindly provided by Tetsu-san JA0CAW.
|


|
SRMSAT
SRMVU #37841 (2011-058D) |
SRMSat is
a 10.4 kg Cubesat built by SRM University in Chennai,
India. It was launched by PSLV C-18 from Satish Space
Centre (SDSC), Shriharikota, India into a LEO orbit.
Because of its low inclination of only 20 degrees in
conjunction with its low altitude SRMSat will never
be received in Central Europe or at higher latitudes.
The
CW-Beacon frequency is 437.425 MHz, its output power
is 10 mW. Enclosed file explains the telemetry format. |
Oct.
12th 2011 |
10
kg |
Enclosed
recording of SRMSat was received by JA0CAW on October
12th 2011 at 20:28 UTC. Recording
kindly provided by Tetsu-san JA0CAW.
|
Enclosed
recording of SRMSat was received by JA0CAW on October
12th 2011 at 22:16 UTC. Recording
kindly provided by Tetsu-san JA0CAW.
|

|
RAX-2
#37853 (2011-061D) |
RAX (Radio Aurora Explorer)
is a joint venture between the University of Michigan
and SRI International. Its primary mission objective
is to study large plasma formations in the ionosphere,
the highest region of our atmosphere. This second RAX
satellite was launched on October 28th
2011 as part of the ELaNa3 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites)
Mission on a Boeing Delta-2 rocket from Vandenberg Air
Force Base in California. The primary payload was NPOESS.
The radio payload includes a bistatic radar receiver
(426-512 MHz), a GPS receiver, a 2.4 GHz 115kbps GMSK
transceiver and a UHF 38.4kbps transceiver which is
also used for the Amateur Radio telemetry downlink.
This downlink at 437.345 MHz uses GMSK modulation to
broadcast a 9600bd data downlink signal ever 20 seconds.
The callsign used is RAX-1 as the team did forget to
change it during the launch preparation. The downlink
transmit power is 750 mW and the polarization used is
RHCP. |
Oct
28th 2011 |
2.8
kg |
Henk PA3GUO was one of
the first to receive RAX-2 telemetry on Oct 28th
2011. |
On November
7th 2011 at 18:34 UTC Mike
Rupprecht received the 9k6 FSK downlink of RAX-2 . Enclosed
recording kindly provided by Mike DK3WN.
|

|
M-Cubed
M3 +37855 (2011-061F) |
M-Cubed is a satellite
built by the University of Michigan's Students Space
Systems Fabrication Lab (S3FL)
and part of the ELaNa3 (Educational Launch of Nanosatellites)
Mission. It is a Multipurpose Minisat based on 1U CubeSat
structure. The objective of MCubed is to obtain a mid
resolution image to date of Earth with at least 60%
land mass and a maximum of 20% cloud coverage from a
single cubesat platform. M-Cubed is transmitting
on 437.485 MHz 9600bd FSK AX.25 packets. Its EIRP <
1 Watt. The uplink frequency is at 145.950 MHz. |
Oct
28th 2011 |
1
kg |
Receiving
and decoding M-Cubed turns out to be quite difficult.
Mike DK3WN was able to receive and record enclosed 9600bd
signal from M-Cubed on December 27th
2011 at 05:20 UTC. Kindly provided by Mike DK3WN.
|


|
Explorer-1
Prime-2 E1P-U2 HRBE +37855 (2011-061F) |
Explorer 1 Prime (E1P)
is a 1U Cubesat-class satellite developed by the Space
Science and Engineering Laboratory (SSEL) at Montana
State University. Its mission is to detect the Van Allen
radiation belts in honor of the 50th anniversary of
Explorer-1, America's first satellite that first discovered
the cloud of highly energetic electrons trapped in the
Earth's magnetic field. E1P-U2 (Explorer 1 Prime 2)
is a re-flight of the satellite that failed to be orbited
on March 4th 2011. It was launched
on a Boeing Delta-2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force
Base in California. After successful launch it was renamed
for William H. Hiscock to HRBE (Hiscock Radiation Belt
Explorer). It is transmitting its beacon every 15 seconds
in non-coherent 1200bd FSK modulation on 437.505 MHz.
The transmit power is 0.85 Watts EIRP. The protocol
in use is KISS, the callsign used is K7MSU-02. |
Oct
28th 2011 |
1
kg |
Jan PE0SAT
was one of the first to receive E1P-U2's downlink signal.
He reported that the signal was very strong. Enclosed
recording in FM mode was made on on Oct 28th
2011 at 12:40 UTC and kindly provided by Jan PE0SAT.
|
Enclosed
recording in LSB mode, which is the proper way to receive
this modulation scheme, was made during the next pass
on Oct 28th 2011 at 14:17 UTC
and kindly provided by Jan PE0SAT.
|
On December
27th 2011 at 13:00 UTC Mike
Rupprecht received the 1200bd AFSK downlink of E1P-U2
in LSB. Enclosed recording kindly provided by Mike DK3WN.
|

|
NAVID
#38075 (2012-005A) |
NAVID (Navid-e
Elm-o Sanat) is the third Iranian satellite.
It was built by the Iran University of Science and Technology.
It was placed into orbit by a new configuration of the
Safir carrier rocket on February 3rd
2012 at 00:04 UTC. The expected operational life time
is 18 months. The low earth orbit has a height of 382x283
km and an inclination of 56 degrees. It is an experimental
earth observation satellite. |
Feb
3rd 2012 |
50
kg |
 Enclosed
audio file as well as the spectrum plot and waterfall
diagram was recorded on January 5th
2012 around 00:30 UTC on 464.988 MHz while NAVID was
over Europe approaching Iran. Kindly provided by the
UHF-Satcom group.
|
Picture |
Object
name #NORAD |
Description |
Launch
Date |
Weight |