Oscar 5

Australia

International Sat. n°:

Australia satellite n°: 2

Orig PL Name: Australis-OSCAR 5
Oscar Number: AO-5

Launch data:

Designation	04321 / 70008B
Launch date	23 Jan 1970 - 11:31:02 UT
Launch site	Va, SLC2W
Launch vehicle	Delta-N6 (#542/D76)
Mission	Telecommunications
Earth orbit:
Perigee / Apogee	1434 x 1477 km
Eccentricity
Inclination	102.04 deg
Period	115.0 min

Built at University of Melbourne, Australia. Launched with Tiros weather satellite. Command receiver (on 2m) and hardwired decoder (first remote control of an amateur satellite). Operational life: 46 days.

Spacecraft data:

Prime manufactor
Platform
Operator	University of Melbourne
Mass at launch	17.7 kg
Dry Mass	kg
Basic shape
Dimension	30.4 x 43.1 x 15.2 cm
Equipment
Solar array
Stabilization	Passive magnetic
Propulsion
DC power	battery-powered
Frequency	Mode V: Downlink 144.0500 MHz CW Mode A: Downlink 29.4500 MHz CW
Design lifetime

Detailed Description:

Australis-OSCAR 5 was launched January 23, 1970 by a Thor Delta launcher from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc, California. AO-5 was launched piggyback with ITOS-1 (TIROS-M weather satellite). Orbit 1476 x 1431 km. Inclination 101.8 degrees. Period 115 minutes. Weight 17.7 kg (9 kg of which was battery mass). Box shaped 304 x 431 x 152 mm. 2 meter monopole and 10 meter dipole antennas.
Firsts: The first amateur satellite to be remotely controlled.
Built by students at The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Battery powered, Australis-OSCAR 5 transmitted telemetry on both 2 meter (144.050 MHz at 50 mW) and 10 meter (29.450 MHz at 250 mW) bands that operated for 23 and 46 days respectively. Passive magnetic attitude stabilization was performed by carrying two bar magnets to align with the Earth's magnetic field in order to provide a favorable antenna footprint. The University of Melbourne compiled tracking reports from hundreds of stations in 27 countries.

Ref: #7, #www.amsat.org - update: 27.07.11