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WG3K > ANS 05.08.24 16:32l 117 Lines 5873 Bytes #42 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS217.2
Read: GUEST
Subj: SONATE-2 APRS Digipeater in Operation
Path: IZ3LSV<I0OJJ<EA2RCF<LU9DCE<VA3TOK<VE3CGR<KA1VSC<WG3K
Sent: 240805/1522Z 6873@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24
Professor Hakan Kayal from Julius-Maximilians-Universität (JMU) Würzburg in
Bavaria, Germany posted on X this past week, “Thanks to everyone using
SONATE-2s APRS digipeater over the weekend. A total of 421 messages were
digipeated.”
The Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburgs SONATE (SOlutus
NAno satelliTE) satellite is a technology demonstration mission for highly
autonomous payloads and artificial intelligence in the 6U CubeSat class. As
part of the SONATE-2 mission, novel hardware and software technologies of
artificial intelligence (AI) are to be verified in miniaturized format in
earth orbit. By using such AI technologies, the satellite can independently
analyze the environment and start autonomous recordings. Deep learning
plays a special role as a versatile image processing tool. In addition to
the classification of targets already known at the start of the mission,
the payload should also have the option of on-board training for the
detection of anomalies as previously unknown objects or phenomena.
*SONATE-2 mission patch (JMU artwork)*
The operation of an amateur radio payload is important to the educational
mission of SONATE-2. The development and operation of the satellite is used
for the education of students of the university. In cooperation with the
DLR School Lab in Neustrelitz, Germany, it is planned to use the amateur
radio payload for the education of high school students.
The amateur payload of SONATE-2 consists of a VHF transceiver that was
already built for the predecessor mission SONATE over the course of several
student projects. For SONATE-2 additional student projects extended the
transceiver functionalities. It will provide regular SSTV downlinks with
images from the optical sensors included in the AI payload as well as an
APRS digipeater and CW beacon.
On the education side, the mission will serve as a foundation for different
aspects of the university aerospace and computer science engineering
program. In the context of practical courses, as thesis authors or as
student assistants, students can participate in the development of all
subsystems of the space and ground segment, including the amateur radio
payload and the technology demonstration payload. In the context of
mandatory lectures and exercises on space operations every student will
also be included in the operations of the satellite.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) offers a School Lab for high school
students at the location of the external ground station in Neustrelitz,
Germany. Besides experiments on space and satellites, the School Lab
includes amateur radio contacts to the ISS under the supervision of
licensed local radio amateurs, which they wish to extend to other
satellites like in this cooperation with the SONATE-2 mission.
Besides the amateur and educational mission parts, the SONATE-2 mission
also has a research objective for the demonstration of novel artificial
intelligence technology in the space environments. While the AI payload is
mainly operated using a separate up/downlink in the space operation service
in S-band, the satellite bus and the amateur payloads are operated in the
amateur service. Housekeeping telemetry in the amateur service also
contains status information of the non-amateur payload.
*SONATE-2 Test Model, October 2023 (Photo: JMU)*
According to Kayal, not many similar projects are currently being
undertaken.
“Lets assume that a small satellite is to investigate a new asteroid in
the solar system in the future. It cannot be trained for this task on the
ground, because the object of investigation is largely unknown. There is no
training data, so the measurements and recordings cant be made on the
ground,” Kayal added.
Transmitting this data to Earth for initial processing and subsequently
training the AI via remote control would result in significant time delays
for missions located at a considerable distance from Earth.
Opting for a heightened level of autonomy with direct on-board AI support
would greatly enhance the missions efficiency. This approach would
expedite the detection of intriguing objects and phenomena on the asteroid,
considerably reducing the time required for their identification.
To facilitate this, four on-board cameras capture the essential imagery
required for training the AI. Initially, the AI acquires knowledge of
conventional geometric patterns on Earths surface, among other things,
which subsequently empowers it to autonomously identify anomalies.
*A model of the SONATE-2 nanosatellite, here artistically depicted in
orbit. (Image: Hakan Kayal / Universität Würzburg)*
In addition to these AI experiments, SONATE-2 carries a suite of other
small satellite technologies that are ready for in-orbit testing. These
technologies include an automated lightning detection and recording system,
as well as an electric propulsion system developed in collaboration with
the University of Stuttgart.
Kayal added, “In terms of complexity, SONATE-2 is unparalleled among
nanosatellites.”
SONATE-2 was one of a cluster of satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon-9
flight on March 5, 2024. Digipeater and SSTV activations are announced at
https://x.com/JMUSpace/.
SSTV downlink: Regular downlink of images captured by the on-board cameras
Frequency: 145.880 MHz
Modulation: Martin M1 SSTV FM (F3F)
TX Power: 500mW
APRS digipeater: (Updated 26.07.2024)
APRS digipeater in half-duplex operation. Digipeater is only active when
published at https://x.com/JMUSpace/. When activated, it will transmit a
greeting message every 2 minutes.
Make sure to include SONATE-2 callsign DPØSNX in the APRS route.
Frequency: 145.825 MHz Up/Down
Modulation: 1k2 AFSK (F2D)
Protocol: AX.25
TX Power: 500mW
[ANS thanks JMU Würzburg, Gunters Space Page, and AZO Robotics Network for
the above information.]
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