On 10 Dec 2010 at 23:05, Mike Rupprecht wrote:

Date sent: Fri, 10 Dec 2010 23:05:07 +0100 From: Mike Rupprecht mail@mike-rupprecht.de Subject: AW: [eu-amsat] Re: [amsat-bb] AO-51 December schedule To: eu-amsat@yahoogroups.com Copies to: lucleblanc6@videotron.ca Send reply to: no_reply@yahoogroups.com

Hi Luc,

I think until March 2011. See attached illumination graph for the next 60 days.

The black boxes are the eclipses.

73, Mike

DK3WN

Thank's Mike

Batteries charging condition seems to be less than optimal if they are unable to sustain those small daily eclipse period +- 15 minutes per hour!

As per this in May 2010: http://www.southgatearc.org/news/may2010/ao51_use_in_eclipse.htm could be AO-51 should be put on a kind of scheduling like HO-68? or the satellite should be off for the early NA and SA morning pass as the satellite usage is very low.

As per the Space Quest web page their listed batteries products is BAT-4 Matched NiCd Flight Batteries (per cell) i don't know how the memory effect is affecting them? By the way it seems finally that AO-51 was mainly commercially built! Another undisclosed (Or not too disclosed) facts from AMSAT-NA!!! Could be that's the path to follow the various AMSAT'S should work as general contractor this will have a very positive effect helping to get rid of some personal ego from some of those involved in the making of the amateur satellites ;) This naturally take in account an ego issue among the satellite builders!

SpaceQuest's Contribution: The following Spacecraft products are implemented in the AO-51 bus:

* Battery Charge Regulator (BCR) * UHF Hybrid Coupler (H-420) * Flight Batteries (BAT-4) * Integrated Flight Computer (IFC-1000) * Programmable Permanent Magnet and Controller (PM-13) * Triple Junction, GaAs Solar Panels

Just check: http://www.spacequest.com/success/echo.php

The Space Quest web page http://www.spacequest.com/about.php

Batteries are not equal but UO-11 is still working after all those years! What happen with our actual batteries? Are they manufactured is some remote countries...

P.S. Did anyone ever hear about the Programmable Permanent Magnet and Controller (PM-13)?

"-"

Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe DSTAR urcall VE2DWE WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE