Okay on the glue, I'd forgotten they were using that.

I'd have expected the transmitter to activate after a fixed period of time and hence to transmit into what may be a folded antenna although that may still radiate enough to produce a trace on the ground ? Anyway that aside the team did a tremendous job in involving the whole school in different aspects of the project. The many reports in the media on the project showed how satellite construction and space communications can be taught to a far younger age group than might have previously been imaged.

Satellite development is extremely challenging and I'm sure all the students involved will have learned a great deal.

Let's hope the glue eventually melts and the battery still works.

73 Trevor M5AKA

On Wednesday, 18 May 2016, 18:53, John Brier [email protected] wrote:

One of the official reps on Facebook said it has no command ability.

If you read that last tweet carefully, it doesn't say "I *was* set to..." it says "I am set." That means it was probably set to do that before launch.

I read an article on Tumblr about it that said the antenna was set to deploy by using hot glue to hold it, and after some minutes the sun would melt it. That may have changed.

John KG4AKV

On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 1:47 PM, M5AKA via AMSAT-BB [email protected] wrote:

Bob, I also look forward to hearing it but if you think about it, if after two days there is still no power and no antenna then it can't be commanded on ?

73 Trevor M5AKA

On Wednesday, 18 May 2016, 18:37, Bob [email protected] wrote:

The Twitter Account (@STMSAT11) just announced the following:

"I am set to turn on when I am stable, have power, and my antennae is deployed. Thanks for being patient with me!"

That explains why nothing has been heard so far.  Glad that very important piece of information is out there now.

Hopefully they will announce when things have been turned on.

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Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

Don't know about that but Emily Stocker, who seems to be one of the main parties involved said the following:

Kevin Zari: Emily, does the ground have the ability to command anything to the satellite, or is it truly just a "it turns on and works, or doesn't" satellite. Please note, I have experience in troubleshooting space payloads.

Emily Stocker: No, we cannot communicate with it

Kevin Zari: presently ? or the capability doesn't exist?

Emily Stocker: As I said above, no telemetry. We are sending radio signals from the satellite to earth. Nothing from earth to satellite.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/491135804399695/permalink/562389037274371/

Speculation but, maybe a shut down command is the only thing that can be sent to it?

John KG4AKV

On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 2:42 PM, Bob [email protected] wrote:

Still might be speculation about no uplink capability. It is entirely possible that things are programmed to remain off until the spin stabilizes. And given statements that the antennas would deploy in 45 seconds, that doesn't sound like the sun is melting anything -- it might be a resistive wire that is heating the glue. Of course information like that would be nice to know and it would help others in the future.

There was correspondence to NASA indicating it had some uplink capability. Quoting the letter sent to the NASA mission manager:

1. Structure
2. Radio
3. Solar Arrays (5, body mounted)
4. Power System
5. On-board Computer
6. Deployable Antenna
7. Camera
8. School Payload (cross blessed by the pope)

"The spacecraft will be launched into LEO (400 km) from the International Space Station (ISS) in early December 2015. The antenna will deploy 45 minutes after deployment from the ISS. The spacecraft will take a photo of Earth every 30 seconds and will transmit it via the amateur radio band (slow scan television). If required, the spacecraft “shut down” command would be sent via the NASA Near Earth Network."

Fingers crossed that its just a matter of time.

73, Bob, WB4SON

They're saying to try 437.000 MHz now:

https://twitter.com/STMSAT11/status/733020351018508288

On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 4:25 PM, Bob [email protected] wrote:

Of course I have no idea -- it may only be a shutdown command receiver.

I checked the ULS an there is no female ham in NC or VA with her last name so no telling how technically accurate those "Anthropomorphic STMsat-1" statements are (She is listed on the faculty roster as a Kindergarten teacher at STM School). There may well be some intentional obfuscation as well. Hearing several days later the key information that there will be no TX was an important bit of information that, had it been given earlier, might have made folks more comfortable with not hearing anything.

Hopefully Joe Pellegrino or Matt Sammons will communicate some details as they, no doubt, know the secret sauce that went into everything technical on STMsat-1.

Clearly this is a wonderful educational program, and the more technical information provided, the better for other schools that would like to follow in their footsteps. Clearly technical information isn't necessary for the audience they are reaching out to, so I don't suspect them to jam their Twitter account with it, but adding some of those details would be a wonderful thing to do in the future on their main website or facebook page.

Exciting time ahead, hopefully.

73, Bob, WB4SON