Amateur radio
NORAD ID: 20439
Int'l Code: 1990-005D
Perigee: 784.3 km
Apogee: 798.9 km
Inclination: 98.5 °
Period: 100.5 minutes
Semi major axis: 7162 km
Launch date: January 22, 1990
Source: United States (US)
Comments: AO-16 has been reconfigured to provide Radio Amateurs with a novel FM to SSB satellite transponder.
The satellite was launched 18 years ago on 22nd January 1990 and it is testimony to the high standards of Amateur Radio satellite design and construction that it is still operating after all these years. Commercial Low-Earth orbit satellites typically have a lifetime of just a few years.
The long lifetime of Amateur Satellites is one reason why the Amateur Satellite Service needs the assurance of access to low-noise floor spectrum for several decades after a satellite is launched. None of the Amateur Satellite Service allocations between 435 MHz and 24 GHz are Primary and the existing secondary allocations have seen significant increases in the noise floor or sell-offs to other users, which jeopardises missions.
Two Line Element Set (TLE):
1 20439U 90005D 13143.83517562 .00000180 00000-0 82947-4 0 7532
2 20439 098.4699 084.4292 0010174 225.6723 168.2123 14.32173233218759
Source: AFSPC
NASA's NSSDC Master Catalog entry for OSCAR 16 (PACSAT)
