…the bird will come back, in scheduled operation in January and February. Right she’s resting. Here’s the latest FO-29 uptade from the JARL-team:
October 2010 update: FO-29 has reentered eclipses each orbit, and it’s future operation is uncertain at this time. The older updates below will provide background, but the situation is the batteries are old, and the satellite shuts down when the batteries get too low. There was a malfunction in the system that turns the transponder back on after a shutdown, and it must now be commanded back on from the ground.
FO-29 update from JARL via Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL
JARL says: The eclipse rate of FO-29 suddenly changes from January to February, but it seems that the possibility of consecutive operation is low, because the malfunction occurs in the battery control circuit.
But we make a temporary operative plan and operate it, because there is the possibility of the spontaneous cure to be before approximately 2 years. When the surplus occurred for the electricity income and expenditure, we review an operative plan and do it.
It is operated until time to be OFF by UVC after a transmitter turned ON on the following date and time.
16 January 2011 - 21:00 UTC 22 January 2011 - 22:33 UTC 24 January 2011 - 10:35 UTC 29 January 2011 - 21:25 UTC 31 January 2011 - 09:30 UTC 5 February 2011 - 22:00 UTC 7 February 2011 - 10:00 UTC 11 February 2011 - 11:40 UTC 12 February 2011 - 20:53 UTC 14 February 2011 - 10:40 UTC
It does not limit the use of the analog system transponder, but please do uplink with the reasonable power. We may cancel the use of the next day depending on the situation of the examination use.
Does we need to say it twice? Yes, probably. So here it comes: USE REASONABLE POWER ON THE UPLINK!!!
Hans / LA2MOA
FO-29 is still in full sunlight