A third satellite in the SaudiSat series has earned an OSCAR designation from AMSAT, SO-50. The Amateur Radio payload was successfully placed into orbit December 20 from Russia atop a modified SS-18 intercontinental ballistic missile. The German-made SAFIR-M Amateur Radio payload went into orbit during the same launch. SaudiSat-1C is a project of the Space Research Institute of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).
SaudiSat-1C follows the 2000 launch of SaudiSats 1A and 1B. Now in a 650-km orbit, SaudiSat-1C carries several experiments, including a new Mode J FM amateur repeater. The downlink frequency is 436.775 MHz. The uplink frequency is 145.850 MHz. A 67 Hz CTCSS tone is required for access. The repeater will be available to amateurs worldwide as power permits.
AMSAT-NA President Robin Haighton, VE3FRH, said SaudiSat-1C will require activation on each pass by a designated control operator. ”A worldwide network of designated control operators is now being developed so that radio amateurs may begin using the satellite immediately,” he said. The NORAD identifier for two-line Keplerian elements is 27607.
The new satellite is also equipped with capabilities to provide vital data concerning weather conditions and oil exploration as well as to monitor the movement of vehicles in remote regions of Saudi Arabia.