Satellite Control

by Ninja Squirrel & Logan-5

Companies try to build satellites to last for as long a time as possible. Unfortunately, for the companies, things in space can happen unexpectantly and suddently. Take that satellite released by the space shuttle. It's orbit carried it way off the correct altitude. The company's only hope was to fire a rocket on it in order to bring it to the correct place.

Now think... how does one on the ground fire a rocket in space? Radio! Gee, if the company could change the orbit, maybe we can too. Sound interesting?

Of course we were not the first to think of this. The satellite companies have worried about this for a long time. There are stories about top secret codes, frequencies, and protocols required to 'nudge' one of those babies. The only problem is that-there is little information about this out there. If you have any info, make a text file, and let others know of your knowledge. But let me tell you all I know about a simple satellite whose telemetry is known well.

OSCAR 6 was a satellite sent up in order to take in amateur signals between 145.9 and 146.0 MHz, and re-transmit them between 29.45 and 29.55 MHz using a transponder. Early in 1976, OSCAR 6 began to have battery problems. The telemetry allowed the ground command stations to shut the satellite off at regular intervals to prolong the useful life of the satellite.

Now we know the satellite sent out telemetry reports at a certain frequency (OSCAR 7 was 29.502 and 145.972 MHz). And it sent them out in the form of Morse code at about 20 wpm. Information rate of spin, power use, and temperature were sent out at 20 wpm. This seems to suggest that the control might have also used morse code. Strangely enough, there was never any information in the American Radio Relay League magazine about just how they control the OSCAR satellites. (Hams know what's safe and what's crazy also)

Suggestions: Don't overlook RTTY when trying to Satelhack (Satellite hacking). Also, chances are the owners will figure out what you did, so 'downing', the ultimate for a satelhack, is pretty difficult.