UKube-1 is scheduled to launch from Pad 31/6 at Baikonur on Tuesday afternoon. July 8th 2014 @ 15:58:28 UTC and to be deployed from the final stage of the Soyuz-2-1B/Fregat-M launch vehicle at 18:32:42 UTC.

The UKube-1 Operations Team has just issued their Launch Briefing. This is accompanied by a spreadsheet showing the anticipated UK passes for the first orbits together with a worksheet showing the telemetry equations.

These documents can be downloaded at http://funcube.org.uk/news/

UKube-1 carries a number of experiments and payloads and also the FUNcube-2 transponder and telemetry sub-system. This is intended to support the current, very successful, operations of FUNcube-1 and to provide an even better operational capability for schools and colleges to use for hands on educational outreach around the world. Further details of the educational outreach opportunities are available here http://funcube.org.uk/education-outreach/

When the FUNcube-2 sub-system is activated, the 1k2 BPSK telemetry will be downlinked on 145.915 MHz in the same way as already happens with FUNcube-1.

A new FUNcube-2 Dashboard UI will be released shortly. This will integrate directly with the existing FUNcube Central Data Warehouse and existing usernames and authorisation codes can be re-used.

When the transponder is activated, the downlink passband will be 145.930 to 145.950 MHz and the uplink passband will be 435.080 to 435.060 MHz.

It is anticipated that the FUNcube sub-system may be tested for short periods during the next few weeks depending upon how the LEOP plan progresses.

AMSAT-UK personnel will be supporting the UKube-1 operations team at Chilbolton during the immediate post launch period and will be ensuring that regular status reports are made available via IRC and other channels.

AMSAT UK and their colleagues at AMSAT-NL, are delighted that UKube-1 is carrying this FUNcube sub-system and wishes every success to the UKube Operations Team and to all the many contributors to the project.

73

Graham G3VZV