NADER's Satellite Blog: DSLWP Lunar Amateur Radio Satellites Launch May 21

May 20, 2018

DSLWP Lunar Amateur Radio Satellites Launch May 21

Hu Chaoran BG2CRY tests 435/2250 MHz dish feed for DSLWP ground station – Image credit Wei Mingchuan BG2BHC

Two microsatellites DSLWP-A1 and DSLWP-A2 carrying amateur radio payloads are planned to launch with the Chang’e 4 Relay satellite on a CZ-4C from the Xichang Space Center into lunar orbit early Monday, May 21 Beijing time (2100 GMT May 20).Wei Mingchuan BG2BHC reports DSLWP is a lunar formation flying mission for low frequency radio astronomy, amateur radio and education, consists of two microsatellites.
Developed by students at the Harbin Institute of Technology the amateur radio payload onboard DSLWP-A1 will provide telecommand uplink and telemetry / digital image downlink. An open telecommand is also designed to allow amateurs to send commands to take and download an image.
The satellites are 50x50x40 cm with a mass of about 45 kg and are 3-axis stabilized. Two linear polarization antennas are mounted along and normal to the flight direction.
The downlinks for DSLWP-A1 are 435.425 MHz and 436.425 MHz while downlinks for DSLWP-A2 are 435.400 MHz and 436.400 MHz using 10K0F1DCN or 10K0F1DEN. Will use 250/500 bps GMSK with turbo code or JT4G. Uplinks are reported to be in the 144 MHz band.