At the request of University of Maine, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) today designated Maine’s first small satellite as MESAT1-OSCAR 122, or MO-122.
Drew Glasbrenner, AMSAT’s vice president of operations and OSCAR number administrator, thanked the University of Maine for its contribution to the amateur satellite community in a special bulletin issued by the AMSAT News Service.
MESAT1 becomes the 122nd satellite since 1961 to be designated in the OSCAR program (Orbiting Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio), and the first in 2024.
AMSAT said in its statement (ANS-276):
On July 4, 2024 at 04:04 UTC, the MESAT1 satellite was launched on a Firefly Alpha launch vehicle from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Developed by the University of Maine, the satellite carries an earth imaging experiment and an AMSAT-provided LTM-1 linear transponder to provide services to amateur radio enthusiasts around the world. The satellite has been commissioned and the transponder is currently active.
While not required for a spacecraft to be legitimately recognized and used in the amateur satellite service, OSCAR numbers are a proud tradition of amateur radio. To apply for an OSCAR number, a spacecraft’s builders/owners must coordinate the satellite’s use of amateur radio frequencies in advance, successfully achieve orbit or successfully deploy, and, once in orbit, activate one or more transmitters in the amateur satellite service.
MaineSat congratulates UMaine and its partners on meeting these requirements and becoming MO-122.