Nu har satelliten DESPATCH fått ett Oscar-nummer: FO-81 eller Fuji OSCAR 81.
Källa: ANS 348:
Prof. Akihiro Kubota of the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan has informed
AMSAT-NA of the successful launch on December 3 of deep space probe DESPATCH.
One important mission for DESPATCH is an experiment in what is called
“cooperative diversity communication.” In this experiment, an attempt will be
made to collect signals from the spacecraft received not only at the ground
station in Tokyo, but also at many ham radio stations around the world. This is
in order to reconstruct the original data from the spacecraft.
Reception of such weak signals to reconstruct data from the spacecraft will
require the expertise of exceptionally skilled ham operators. The builders are
thereby providing a rare opportunity to receive radio signals transmitted by a
spacecraft in deep space, and ask for cooperation radio amateurs around the
world in the project.
Initially, it was expected that the spacecraft would last only a few days but
now it appears that this assessment was pessimistic with a longer life now
expected..
Since DESPATCH appears to have met all of the requirements for an OSCAR number,
including IARU coordination, I hereby with the authority vested in me be the
AMSAT-NA President, do confer on DESPATCH, the OSCAR number Fuji OSCAR 81 or
FO-81.
I use the Fuji designation in recognition of the long history of contributions
the Japanese have made to Amateur Radio satellites.
I trust that Fuji OSCAR-81’s mission will be successful and much valuable date
collected.
73,
William (Bill) Tynan, W3XO
OSCAR Number Administrator