AO-51 – End of Mission

It is with a heavy heart I report that AO-51 has ceased transmission and is not responding to commands. The last telemetry data indicated that the third of six batteries was approaching failure to short, and observations indicate the voltage from three cells is insufficient to power the UHF transmitters. The IHU may continue to be operative. Initial tests with the S band transmitter were also not positive, although more attempts are in order. We have tried leaving the satellite in an expected state where if voltages climb high enough, the 435.150 transmitter may possibly be heard.

The command team will regularly attempt communications with the satellite over the coming months (and years). There is always the possibility that a cell will open and we could once again talk to our friend while illuminated. Thanks to all who helped fund, design, build, launch, command, and operate AO-51. It’s 7 year mission has been extraordinary. Please support AMSAT’s Fox-1 project, and other AMSAT projects worldwide with your time and money.

It’s not so much a problem of not enough illumination, but more that we are running on 3 or 3.5 cells, and we need ~4 to make the transmitters work. There may be some points during the orbit when the V gets high enough for the transmitter to come on at low power, but that is conjecture only. We don’t know when or really even if that will happen.

If a cell opens up in the future, the IHU will immediately crash upon eclipse, and the battery voltage -may- rise to whatever the panels can provide. If this happens we may be able to restart the IHU and get a transmitter running, but it will only last until the next eclipse.

For the AO-51 Command Team,

73, Drew KO4MA
AMSAT-NA VP Operations

AO-51 BBS and 9k6 telemetry

2011-03-05 15:25:22.440 UTC: C0:8D C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01
2011-03-05 15:25:22.470 UTC: WOD:2 ATP:1 BMW:1 BMS:0 CTS:1 CTN:96 CTL:77 CTE:Tue Mar 08 21:06:07 2011
2011-03-05 15:25:22.490 UTC: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:27204 f:27244, d:1 st:6 e:f0.
2011-03-05 15:25:30.390 UTC: PHT: uptime is 119/14:26:11. Time is Sat Mar 05 15:35:58 2011.
2011-03-05 15:25:32.020 UTC: C0:8D C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01
2011-03-05 15:25:32.210 UTC: WOD:2 ATP:1 BMW:1 BMS:0 CTS:1 CTN:96 CTL:77 CTE:Tue Mar 08 21:06:07 2011
2011-03-05 15:25:32.230 UTC: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:27204 f:27244, d:1 st:6 e:f0.
2011-03-05 15:25:32.720 UTC: PB: Empty..
2011-03-05 15:25:33.960 UTC: PLCTL Mode:0 TXA:0 TXB:0 BatTrip:0
2011-03-05 15:25:37.750 UTC: B: 44484854.
2011-03-05 15:25:38.560 UTC: PACBLS S Meter = 0
2011-03-05 15:25:44.720 UTC: PB: Empty..
2011-03-05 15:25:50.410 UTC: PHT: uptime is 119/14:26:31. Time is Sat Mar 05 15:36:18 2011.
2011-03-05 15:25:52.170 UTC: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:27204 f:27244, d:1 st:6 e:f3.
2011-03-05 15:25:54.950 UTC: PLCTL Mode:0 TXA:0 TXB:0 BatTrip:0
2011-03-05 15:25:59.560 UTC: PACBLS S Meter = 0
2011-03-05 15:26:00.410 UTC: PHT: uptime is 119/14:26:41. Time is Sat Mar 05 15:36:28 2011.

AO-51 BBS and telemetry

2011-03-04 16:02:17.460 UTC: ­C0:8D C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01
2011-03-04 16:02:17.490 UTC: WOD:2 ATP:1 BMW:1 BMS:0 CTS:1 CTN:96 CTL:91 CTE:Tue Mar 08 11:42:19 2011
2011-03-04 16:02:17.520 UTC: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:27204 f:27244, d:1 st:6 e:91.
2011-03-04 16:02:26.490 UTC: ­C0:8D C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01
2011-03-04 16:02:28.270 UTC: ­PB: Empty..
2011-03-04 16:03:04.260 UTC: ­PB: Empty..
2011-03-04 16:03:25.340 UTC: ­PB: Empty..
2011-03-04 16:03:36.400 UTC: ­C0:8D C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01
2011-03-04 16:03:36.550 UTC: I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:27204 f:27244, d:1 st:6 e:9b.
2011-03-04 16:03:43.260 UTC: ­PB: Empty..
2011-03-04 16:03:44.950 UTC: ­PHT: uptime is 118/15:04:21. Time is Fri Mar 04 16:14:08 2011.
2011-03-04 16:03:46.400 UTC: ­C0:8D C1:44 C2:76 C3:2F C4:04 C5:01
2011-03-04 16:03:48.290 UTC: ­Open ABCD:
2011-03-04 16:03:48.300 UTC: ­B: 43096539.
2011-03-04 16:03:49.250 UTC: PB: Empty..
2011-03-04 16:03:53.490 UTC: PLCTL Mode:0 TXA:0 TXB:0 BatTrip:0
2011-03-04 16:03:54.950 UTC: PHT: uptime is 118/15:04:31. Time is Fri Mar 04 16:14:18 2011.
2011-03-04 16:03:55.340 UTC: ­PB: Empty..
2011-03-04 16:03:56.600 UTC: WOD:2 ATP:1 BMW:1 BMS:0 CTS:1 CTN:96 CTL:91 CTE:Tue Mar 08 11:42:19 2011
2011-03-04 16:03:56.630 UTC: ­I P:0x13A8 o:0 l:27204 f:27244, d:1 st:6 e:9e.
2011-03-04 16:03:58.100 UTC: ­PACBLS S Meter = 0
2011-03-04 16:04:01.250 UTC: PB: Empty..
2011-03-04 16:04:04.950 UTC: ­PHT: uptime is 118/15:04:41. Time is Fri Mar 04 16:14:28 2011.