FUNcube Lite Payload for Jovian-1 Satellite has Amateur Radio FM Transponder!

FUNcube Lite Payload for Jovian-1 Satellite will be supplied by AMSAT-UK. It has a U/V FM transponder, which will be of interest to amateur radio satellite operators from India as FM satellites are quite popular here. U/V transponder will have uplink on UHF and downlink on VHF, like AO-91 and PO-101 satellites. Jovian-1 is a 6U CubeSat being developed by Space South Central, a space cluster in the United Kingdom. When the satellite is not gathering telemetry, it can switch to U/V mode FM voice transponder which amateur radio satellite operators can use for communication. The program has an interesting acronym: JUPITER, which stands for Joint Universities Programme for In-Orbit Training, Education, and Research. The JUPITER program by universities of Surrey, Portsmouth, and Southampton offer students direct experience in the space sector and prepares them for careers in space with practical training in satellite design and operations.

FUNcube Lite will collect and forward telemetry data from the satellite subsystems to schools and colleges. It will include radiation sensor readings and GPS (Global Positioning System) information. Radiation levels in the satellite’s orbit and radiation effects on electronic circuits on the satellite can be assessed by analyzing telemetry data.  Space South Central is the largest regional space cluster in the United Kingdom. It also represents over 170 space related businesses in the region and hence an important partnership between industry and academia for developing collaborative projects and providing networking opportunities.