SuitSat

[hollyking]

Sometime today the newest amateur radio satellite, SuitSat, will be pushed into orbit. That's right, pushed into orbit. Some amateur radio equipment has been attached to a surplus Russian Orlan spacesuit and it will be deployed by hand during an upcoming ISS EVA.

SuitSat (NASA link) will transmit special international voice messages, spacesuit telemetry and a pre-programmed SSTV picture on the 145.990 MHz FM downlink. I can receive voice transmissions and I'm going to try and scramble to hook the radio up to my computer to record the telemetry. Does anyone know of any free audio recording applications for OS X?

If you want to listen act quickly, the batteries will only last a few days. The suit should orbit for up to 6 weeks before the orbit decays. NASA has a tracking applet that lets you find the when ISS is going to pass over your head. Parents, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) folks will send a certificate to any student who sends them a signal report. There are details on their website or I can help you if you have any questions.

Damn, I am out of space for more user pics and I don't have an AMSAT one. Looks like I need to buy more space.

Comments

[alexnumb.livejournal.com]

Hey did I tell you about our new project?

We're taking the booster from last year (http://rockets.wrightholdings.com/html/balls_2005__team_numb_project.htm) and turing that into the sustainer.

The booster this year will be an even bigger motor (consisting of 206lbs of propellant) staging to that rocket. That rocket got 38k' last yeah and will have 4 times the power under it.

The only problem is that since it is slated to exceed 150k AGL I need to get a permit from AST (American Space Transport, a division of the FAA). That is not looking so good. At this point I can't get anyone at AST to call me back. :(

[alexnumb.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, btw, we sure could use some talented radio nerd to put together a working telemtry package w/ cameras n' stuff.

We anticipate recording Black Sky at apogee... ;-)

[hollyking.livejournal.com]

I've said before and I'm saying it again. I'd love to put together some sort of telemetry package. Maybe we (you, me and anyone else from Team Numb who is interested) should get together for dinner or something to go over what you would like to have and what I can provide to see if we can work out the details.