GoodBye HAMSAT VO52

Dear Friends,

With heavy heart, I sadly convey, that our little angel ‘HAMSAT VO-52’ would no more be able to offer her services to the ‘Amateur Radio Fraternity. HAMSAT VO-52 succumbed in Space on 11th July 2014, while she was on her 49,675th orbit, due to the failure of on-board lithium ion batteries that have met their end of life.

Although her desires were to be at work with other systems and sub-systems working normal as per the latest telemetry received, the on-board computer recurring to ‘Reset’ mode due to the failure of batteries is preventing her to do so.  Hence, it is decided not to expect any more meaningful and reliable services from HAMSAT VO-52.

Since 11th July, every best possible effort has been put in by the spacecraft controllers here in ISTRAC Bangalore to revive her back to life and to help her with work load, so she won’t be swamped when she returns, but with no luck.  Though it is hard, the HAMSAT VO-52 designers and controllers insist that the time has come to let the little angel free in space to go drifting on her own from their care and custody.

Thus, today 21st July 2014, ISRO have decommissioned ‘HAMSAT-VO52’ officially.

We all here in ISRO do definitely hope that ‘HAMSAT VO-52’ worked tirelessly and was a good friend to the ‘Amateur Radio Fraternity’ around the World. We are sure that HAMSAT was loved by all who worked through her. Though, we are deeply saddened by the loss of HAMSAT VO-52, but she will never be forgotten and far from our hearts, minds and memories.

HAMSAT VO-52 will always be remembered by all of us here in ISRO as one of the greatest satellites of ours.

Dear ‘HAMSAT’, looking at the sky, we all say ‘Good Bye’ to you. You’ll be greatly missed. Rest in Peace.

Nevertheless, at this point of time, on behalf of the World Amateur Radio Fraternity, we thank each and everyone who contributed to the great success of ‘HAMSAT’.

Particularly, our sincere thanks to the Chairman ISRO, Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, past chairmen Dr. Kasthurirangan, Dr. G. Madhavan Nair, Director-ISAC Dr. S.K.Shiva Kumar, past ISAC Directors Dr. P.S. Goel, Dr. Shankara, Dr. T.K. Alex, Director-ISTRAC Shri. B.S. Chandrasekhar, scientific secretary Dr. Koteshwar Rao, Project Director-Shri. J.P. Gupta, Deputy project Directors, Mission Director-Shri. R.Suresh, Operations Director-Shri. Parimalarangan and each and every person directly or in-directly contributed.

At this point of time, we also thank AMSAT-India and in particular, late Shri. Nagesh Upadhyaya-VU2NUD,  Shri. B.S. Gajendra Kumar-VU2BGS, Shri. Prathap Kumar-VU2POP, Air Commodore. Subramanian-VU2UV, Shri.  V.P. Sandlas-VU2VP, Dr.R. Ramesh-VU2RMS, Shri. Nitin-VU3TYG, Mr. Williams Leijenaar PE1RAH and each and every member.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Pasted below is the message from Mr. R. Suresh, Mission Director:

HAMSAT, the first small satellite by ISRO has been Decommissioned after  nearly a decade of service to the World Ham community.

A true masterpiece among small satellites, designed for one year mission life, but exceeded all expectations by serving for almost 10 years. A truly autonomous satellite, with “Zero maintenance“ in terms of Mission operations, it provided a springboard to test many new concepts such as BMU. LI-ion based power system, automatic Spin rate control and Auto SAOC for maintaining the Satellite attitude without any ground commanding.


  HAMSAT known as “OSCAR-52” among the Amateur HAM operators has been very popular because of its high sensitivity receiver and strong transmitter. Indian Radio Amateurs on many occasions conveyed to us that they have been greatly honored to share the adulations showered on ISRO and INDIA by the International Radio Amateur for gifting this wonderful satellite “HAMSAT”.

I take this opportunity to applaud the HAMSAT teams at ISAC, ISTRAC and other centre for their efforts and  support, which has made ISRO proud among the HAM users across the globe.

R,SURESH
MISSION DIRECTOR
HAMSAT

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Mani [VU2WMY/KJ6LRS]
Secretary & Station-In-Charge
Upagrah Amateur Radio Club VU2URC
ISRO Satellite Centre
HAL Airport Road, Bangalore-560 017.
Phone:(Office)91-80-25082598/25082054/25082192
Mobile:  91-9880 341 456
E-mail ID: wmy@isac.gov.in
           vu2wmy_mani@yahoo.com
           isrohams@yahoo.com

 

HAMSAT VO-52 completes 9 successful and fruitful years in orbit !

Dear Friends,

It gives us great pleasure to inform that ‘HAMSAT – VO-52’ is successfully completing 9 years of fruitful services on 4th May 2014 and entering into her 10th year of services on 5th May. HAMSAT was launched as a piggy back aboard PSLV-C6 on 5th May 2005 (5-5-5). We do hope that the contribution of ‘HAMSAT’ by India/ISRO to the ‘Global Amateur Radio Fraternity’ has served its purpose. It gives us great pleasure and satisfaction to note that ‘HAMSAT VO-52’ has remained as one of the most sought after and favorite ‘Linear Birds’ among the radio amateurs for her sensitivity, strong down link signals, stability and the ease to work.

Though expected to work for two years (mainly, considering the battery), HAMSAT VO-52 has really out lived and still doing strong. Latest telemetry indicates all the parameters and systems to be normal and satisfactory. We do hope that ‘HAMSAT’ would continue to provide her good services to ‘Amateur Radio fraternity’ for many more years.

On this happy occasion, we place on records our sincere thanks and appreciations to, Chairman ISRO, Scientific Secretary ISRO, Director ISRO Satellite, Mission Director, Operations Director, ‘HAMSAT’ project team at various ISRO centres, AMSAT-India and Williams Leijenaar PE1RAH for their contribution in achieving this this milestone.

73 de
Mani [VU2WMY/KJ6LRS]
Secretary & Station-In-Charge
Upagrah Amateur Radio Club VU2URC

HAMSAT CW beacon

13:00 UTC
HI HI HI THIS IS VUSAT WITH THE DUTCH MODE UV TRANSPONDER MADE BY WILLIAM LEIJENAAR 73 DE PE1RAH
HI HI HI THIS IS VUSAT WITH THE DUTCH MODE UV TRANSPONDER MADE BY WILLIAM LEIJENAAR 73 DE PE1RAH
HI HI HI THIS IS VUSAT WITH THE DUTCH MODE UV TRANSPONDER MADE BY WILLIAM LEIJENAAR 73 DE PE1RAH
HI HI HI THIS IS VUSAT WITH THE DUTCH MODE UV TRANSPONDER MADE BY WILLIAM LEIJENAAR 73 DE PE1RAH
HI HI HI THIS IS VUSAT WITH THE DUTCH MODE UV TRANSPONDER MADE BY WILLIAM LEIJENAAR 73 DE PE1RAH
HI HI HI THIS IS VUSAT WITH THE DUTCH MODE ….

Mario LU4EOU

VO-52 silent

No reports from HAMSAT since 1000 UTC.

Last report (heard and briefly used the transponder) from Ib, OZ1MY at 0826 UTC
On the next pass with AOS at 1003 UTC it was not on.

The AMSAT India / HAMSAT team confirmed the first ever non-availability of the transponder on HAMSAT VO-52 since 5th May 2005.

VO-52 health is monitored on a daily basis by ISRO, the telemetry and all telecommand is on non amateur radio frequencies and hence is managed by ISRO.
Communication for the satellite is on VHF (137MHz for TM and 149MHz for TC)

VO-52 Operating Award

AMSAT-INDIA workshop was conducted on 10th May at the Little Lillys English Public school ,Vidhyaranyapura, Bangalore on the ocassion of fours years of HAMSAT (VO-52) in orbit which was launched on May 5th 2005. The workshop was attended by 130 delegates. This included students from academic institutions and members of Upagrah Amateur Radio Club,VU2URC which is the club station of ISRO.
VU2GUR, Guru was presented the first certificate for his outstanding contribution for the activity on HAMSAT (VO-52). Certificates were given to VU2RM, VU2UV and VU2MKP by the Guest of Honor for their contributions for the activity in VU. Net controllers VU2QNY, VU2ZUB, VU2PCP and VU3OJI in Bangalore for announcements regarding the workshop.

We have completed printing the free VO-52 operating award certificates and the same will mailed shortly. We are closing the free certificate availability. The award will be available for a fee whose details will be announced at a later date.
The final list can be found here http://www.amsatindia.org/awards/VO-52-award-Final.bmp

73’s Nitin [VU3TYG]
Secretary AMSAT INDIA.

vu52_award vu52_award_zoom
:-D Isn’t it funny ?