Time Sensitive: Missing Satellite, Telemetry Assistance Needed

[Gary Mikitin, AF8A]

HamSCI has received a request for assistance from another citizen science / collegiate community, regarding a CubeSat that was launched a few days ago, but whose transmissions have yet to be received (AX-25 packet, 70 cm band).  Here are two links about the project, followed by the request from one of the project PIs (contact info at the very bottom):

https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2025/12/tiny-satellite-built-unh-students-blasts-space

https://sonomastatestar.com/38457/news/sonoma-state-students-help-keep-cubesat-project-alive-as-satellite-launches-into-space/

3UCubed Satellite Tracking Help Needed

3UCubed is set up to broadcast AX.25 packets with housekeeping data on 437.01 MHz. So far, we have not found/received any downlink signals from it - it launched on Friday, Nov 28th. Our two ground stations - one in Rohnert Park, CA and one in Durham, NH - do get signals from many other CubeSats broadcasting on frequencies "nearby" - 436.8 MHz and 437.9 MHz have come through. We even demodulated and decoded some AX.25 packets from other satellites with our Sonoma State University ground station in Rohnert Park, CA! 

The best-guess TLE can be found on the Celestrak NORAD website (Current TLE: https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/sup-gp.php?CATNR=799501931&FORMAT=tle and TRANSPORTER-15 list to find the 3UCubed TLE:https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/table.php?FILE=transporter-15&FORMAT=tle on the 2nd page). You can put the TLE in gpredict to see when it will pass overhead your radio station.

Thanks for any help you can provide our 3UCube team!

Laura Peticolas, Ph.D. Physics, Co-PI of 3UCubed with University of New Hampshire (PI Institution: Dr. Noé Lugaz) and Howard University (Co-PI Prof. Marcus Alfred)

Director, EdEon STEM Learning, Sonoma State University

KN6FXN

She/her/hers

Sonoma State University
1801 East Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Zoom: https://SonomaState.zoom.us/j/8031887394

Phone: 707-664-2244
Email: lau...@universe.sonoma.edu
Website: http://edeon.sonoma.edu

[Bruce Crandall]

I looked for the 3UCubesat during the just completed pass with no luck.  I'm using my satellite tracking system with a RHCP UHF yagi; and tuning with my IC-9700 so I can see the waterfall and up/down the frequency band. If there's a AX.25 packet, I should see it and decode.   I'll try another pass in 90minutes.  I used the TLE from the link above.

The other thing we're watching today is the Chipsat (aka Cornell Light Sail) from Cornell's cubesat that was launched off the ISS recently.  It has a solar sail and several chipsat transmitters on the sail using the Lora waveform.  There have been spotty contacts with that; but not in the US as far as I know.  TinyGS.com is the site for Lora satellite trackers.  Go to tinygs on telegram and look for NewSatellties.  Good discussions there.

Bruce/KN4GDX

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