LAPAN A2 (IO-86)

Track LAPAN A2 (IO-86) now!
10-day predictions
LAPAN A2 (IO-86) is classified as:

NORAD ID: 40931

Int'l Code: 2015-052B

Launch date: September 28, 2015
Source: Indonesia (INDO)
Launch site: SRIHARIKOTA (SRI)

Uplink (MHz): 145.825/145.880
Downlink (MHz): 145.825/435.880
Beacon (MHz): 145.825
Mode: 1k2AFSK FM SSDV CW
Call sign: YBSAT/YBOX
Status: Active

The IO-86 satellite (also known as LAPAN-A2 or LAPAN-ORARI) is an Indonesian microsatellite developed by the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), which was dissolved in 2021. The organization is now called the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN,Indonesian acronym: Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional). Successfully launched on September 28, 2015, aboard an Indian PSLV-C30 rocket, this orbiter operates in a low-inclination equatorial orbit (between 6 and 8 degrees) at an approximate altitude of 630 km. Due to this trajectory, the satellite orbits the Earth, crossing Indonesian territory about 14 times a day, which limits its radio coverage to tropical areas and regions located between 30 degrees north and south of the equator.

The primary objective of the IO-86 combines Earth observation with disaster mitigation. It features high-definition video cameras for terrain monitoring and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) for tracking maritime traffic in territorial waters. For the global amateur radio community, the satellite is invaluable because it includes an FM voice transponder and an APRS text message repeater; both are crucial for establishing emergency communications and supporting rescue efforts when conventional terrestrial networks collapse during natural disasters. The FM amateur radio repeater is activated according to a schedule set for the Latin American region on Saturdays and Sundays, covering parts of southern Mexico and extending into northern Argentina. This schedule is subject to change by the operator.