HADES-R and HADES-ICM satellites in early 2025!

 I was quite happy to read the email from Félix EA4GQS, AMSAT EA, on the AMSAT bulletin board just now. He has mentioned that new HADES-R and HADES-ICM satellites will be available to amateur radio satellite operators in early 2025! After the decay of TEVEL series and expected decay of SO-121, we are facing an acute shortage of FM amateur radio satellites. Though I have not been able to have a QSO on SO-121 yet, these new satellites are expected to have a higher power transponder of 250 mW compared to 40 mW of SO-121. So I am quite hopeful of working at least high elevation passes of the new satellites.



Both new satellites are 1.5p PocketQubes. As I had mentioned earlier, one PocketQube unit is 5 x 5 x 5 cm, compared to the 10 x 10 x 10 cm of a CubeSat unit. The satellites are expected to be launched on SpaceX Transporter-12 and 13 missions respectively. In addition to the FM repeater, they will have digital communication modes and telemetry. FM repeater will be available at all times and will be opened by squelch level, without need for a subtone for access. Both satellites will have other scientific modules as well.

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