OSCAR 3
| COSPAR ID | 1965-016F |
|---|---|
| SATCAT № | 1293 |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 16.3 kilograms (36 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 9 March 1965 |
| Rocket | Thor SLV-2 Agena-D |
| Launch site | Vandenberg LC-75-1-2 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Inclination | 101.00 degrees |
OSCAR III (aka OSCAR 3) is the third amateur radio satellite launched by Project OSCAR into Low Earth Orbit. OSCAR 3 was launched March 9, 1965 by a Thor-DM21 Agena D launcher from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc, California. The satellite, weighing 16.3 kg, was launched piggyback with seven United States Air Force satellites. The satellite employed no attitude control system. OSCAR III linear transponder lasted 18 days. More than 1000 amateurs in 22 countries communicated through the linear transponder. The two beacon transmitters continued operating for several months.[1][2]
Contents
Project OSCAR
Project OSCAR Inc. started in 1960 with the radio amateurs from the TRW Radio Club of Redondo Beach, California, many who worked at TRW and defense industries, to investigate the possibility of putting an amateur satellite in orbit. Project OSCAR was responsible for the construction of the first Amateur Radio Satellite OSCAR-1, that was successfully launched from Vandenberg AFB in California . OSCAR-1 orbited the earth for 22 days, transmitting the “HI” greeting you see in Morse Code above.
Project OSCAR was responsible for launching 3 other amateur radio satellites during the 1960s: OSCAR 1, OSCAR 2, and OSCAR 4
In 1969, AMSAT-NA was founded by radio amateurs working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the Baltimore-Washington DC region, to continue the efforts begun by Project OSCAR. Its first project was to coordinate the launch of Australis-OSCAR 5, constructed by students at the University of Melbourne.[3]
Today, over fifty years later, Project OSCAR still exists as part of the San Jose (CA) Amateur Radio Club. Its mission is “To initiate and support activities that promote the Satellite Amateur Radio Hobby”. The primary goal is to reach out and provide logistical support, training and in some cases equipment to amateur radio associations, schools and the public at large.
Firsts
Oscar III was an upgrade from the earlier Oscar I and Oscar II amateur satellites, three years earlier. Improvements included:
- Oscar 3 was the first true amateur satellite relaying voice contacts in the VHF 2 meter band through a 1 W 50 kHz wide linear transponder (146 MHz uplink and 144 MHz downlink).
- First amateur satellite to operate from solar power and relay signals from Earth.
- First usage of beacon transmitters, separate from the main communications system (linear transponder).
- Early Bird, also known as Intelsat I, the world's first commercial communications satellite would be launched 28 days later.[4]
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
