Fox-1B

Fox-1B, AO-91 or AMSAT OSCAR 91 [3] is an United States amateur radio satellite. It is a 1U Cubesat, was built by the AMSAT-NA and carries a single-channel transponder for FM radio. The satellite has a whip antenna for the 70 cm and 23 cm bands (uplink), and a second antenna for the 2 m band (downlink). Fox-1B is the second amateur radio satellite of the Fox series of AMSAT North America.

Fox-1B
NamesAO-91
AMSAT OSCAR 91
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorAMSAT [1]
COSPAR ID2017-073E
SATCAT no.43017
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerVanderbilt University
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
Launch mass1.3 kg (2.9 lb)
Dimensions10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm (3.9 in × 3.9 in × 3.9 in)
Start of mission
Launch date18 November 2017,
09:47:36 UTC
RocketDelta II 7920-10C
(Delta D378)
Launch siteVandenberg, SLC-2W
ContractorUnited Launch Alliance
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit [2]
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude461.3 km (286.6 mi)
Apogee altitude823.7 km (511.8 mi)
Inclination97.70°
Period97.40 minutes
 

To facilitate a satellite launch as part of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program, the satellite carries a student experiment conducted by Vanderbilt University's Institute for Space and Defense Electronics. The RadFx experiment at this institute hosts four payloads for the study of radiation effects on commercially available electronic components. So it should be tested electronic components "off the shelf" under space conditions. The payload of AMSAT North America is a single-channel FM converter from Ultra high frequency (UHF) to Very high frequency (VHF). After successful launch, the satellite was assigned the OSCAR number 91.

Mission

The satellite was launched on 18 November 2017, with a Delta II launch vehicle, along with the main payload Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) NOAA-20 and 4 other Cubesat satellites (MiRaTA, Buccaneer RMM, EagleSat and MakerSat 0) from Vandenberg Air Force Base. After only a few hours, telemetry was received and the transponder put into operation.

Fox-1B Transponder Mode Beacon Waterfall.
A screen capture of the Fox-1B safe mode beacon, taken with GQRX.
Frequencies
145.960 MHz downlinkFM
435.250 MHz uplink67.0 Hz CTCSS

See also

References
  1. "AO-91". NASA GSFC. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. "FOX-1B (RADFXSAT AO-91)". n2yo.com. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  3. Trevor Essex (ed.). "RadFxSat (Fox-1B) Launched, Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91)". AMSAT-UK. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
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