AMSAT P2D (OSCAR 8) [AMSAT]
AMSAT P2D (OSCAR 8, also known as Phase 2D) was a radio amateur satellite built by radio amateurs in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Japan. The primary mission was to provide an educational tool and amateur communications.
AMSAT P2D was a box shaped satellite with dimensions 380 × 380 × 330 mm and weighs 27.2 kg. Power was provided by solar cells mounted on the sides of the satellite. It was constructed using many of the parts left over from the AMSAT P2B (OSCAR-7) project.
The payload consisted of an 145.90-146.00/435.1 MHz (inverted) and 145.85-90/29.4-5 MHz transponder using a circularly polarized VHF/UHF canted turnstile antenna system. Telemetry beacons operated on 435.095 MHz and 29.402 MHz using an HF dipole antenna.
The satellite was launched on the 5 March 1978 at 1754UTC on a Delta-2910 rocket as a piggy-back payload together with Landsat 3 and PIX 1 from Vandenberg AFB into a 903 × 917 km orbit with an inclination of 98.99°. The satellite operated until the battery finally failed in the middle of 1983.
Nation: | USA |
---|---|
Type / Application: | Amateur radio communication |
Operator: | AMSAT-NA |
Contractors: | AMSAT-NA |
Equipment: | |
Configuration: | Cube |
Propulsion: | None |
Power: | Solar cells, batteries |
Lifetime: | 5 years |
Mass: | 27 kg |
Orbit: | 897 km × 914 km, 99.1° |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AMSAT P2D (AMSAT-OSCAR 8, AO 8) | 1978-026B | 05.03.1978 | Va SLC-2W | Delta-2910 | with Landsat 3, PIX 1 |