FUNcube-1 satellite makes it into orbit
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FUNcube-1, the UK's first amateur educational satellite, was successfully put into orbit on a Dnepr launch vehicle from Yasny in Russia yesterday.
The CubeSat was developed by volunteers from AMSAT-UK over a period of four years – with the aim of boosting interest in STEM subjects amongst UK school children.
The first signals from the satellite were received yesterday by a temporary monitoring station set up in Bletchley Park.
Project director Graham Shirville said: "A great deal of hard work from talented volunteer radio amateur engineers went into designing, building and testing this satellite and we are delighted that the signals have been received so soon after launch.
"We are extremely grateful to the network of radio amateurs worldwide who have helped us in this task."
The FUNcube-1 measures 10 x 10 x 10cm and weighs just 1kg. Its successor, FUNcube-2, is due to launch in February 2014.
Both have been developed with the aim of providing downlink telemetry that can be easily received by schools and colleges.
