LightCube is a 1U Cubesat with an outreach and accessibility goal of providing a connection to space and to the night sky. It does this by providing a momentary flash of light that is visible to the naked eye and can be triggered by any amateur radio operator.
ElaNa #50, Whats on board? 3/8/2023.
Status
Deployed and confirmed beaconing
Public Flash Trigger: Closed
TLE (updated 24 April 1800 PT)
LIGHTCUBE
1 99165U 23033XXX 123114.50347222 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0
2 XXXXX 51.5364 234.2242 0008904 243.7630 219.3857 15.50958337
Transponder
Operation Frequency: 437.175 MHz
Modulation: FM (Narrowband) 2.5 kHz
Command/Response: DTMF tone sequence
Transmitter Power: 1W - 5W
Beacon Transmits every 30s. Data encoding details TBD
Telemetry Encoding:
- RF Modulation: FM
- Audio Sound Modulation: AFSK Bell 103
- Encoding rate: 300 baud
- Byte definition: 8 bits, 1 stop, even parity
- Note: Bytes are trailed by two unused bits.
- Heartbeat packet Rev A, updated 25 April 2023
- Telemetry decoding gnuradio flowgraphs on github
Updates
22 April 2023
Deployment from the ISS is set for 24 April 2023 at 05:30 Pacific Time.
24 April 2023
Deployed from ISS
Beacon received by satnogs users and at ASU ground station
Lightcube assigned temporary NORAD ID 99165
Provisional TLE
LIGHTCUBE
1 99165U 23033XXX 123114.50347222 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0
2 XXXXX 51.5364 234.2242 0008904 243.7630 219.3857 15.50958337
25 April 2023
Heartbeat telemetry decoded from audio recordings! Battery at 88% and charging. Packet definition and flowgraphs now linked above. Operations discussion at Librespace.
New TLE based on Satnogs observations.
LightCube
1 99165U 23115.20000000 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 07
2 99165 51.6414 230.2247 0005920 174.6015 220.5620 15.50201805 07