In a message dated 29/07/2008 01:26:52 GMT Standard Time, [email protected] writes:
Note that Delfi has been in full sun for more than half its orbit before it hits ZL and progressively loses the sun before going into eclipse South of ZL so the above may not represent what happens as Delfi comes out of eclipse in the Northern hemisphere.
Hi Alan / Ib
That it is still operational over ZL after half an orbit is very encouraging. Perhaps we have seen the last of the 'feature' of turning off shortly after coming out of eclipse. As the team predicted.
At Surrey the team announced the Delfi N3XT project (pronounced 'next'). The satellite will be a 3cube design but with bigger panels and 3 axis stabilization and a power budget much greater than DO-64. They are looking for ideas to put on the mission to give some amateur radio functionality in addition to the science they have planned. V down link and U uplink will be used for communications. I wonder if 'we' could suggest something in addition to the obvious transponder. - September deadline for the mission plan. Perhaps the BB could come up with a list of suggestions. Perhaps with 3 axis control, a small camera with an image to slowscan converter would be good. - Then the team can use it to confirm the pointing accuracy of the satellite and potentially use the GENSO network to issue a 'take picture' command.
Thanks
David