SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS001
ARLS001 AO-85 Turned Off due to Return of Eclipse Periods and Poor
Battery Condition

ZCZC AS01  
QST de W1AW  
Space Bulletin 001  ARLS001
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington, CT  February 13, 2019
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS001
ARLS001 AO-85 Turned Off due to Return of Eclipse Periods and Poor
Battery Condition

The Fox-1A (AO-85) CubeSat has been turned off until further notice
due to return of eclipses and poor battery condition, control
operator Mark Hammond, N8MH, has announced. In December, AO-85
experienced precarious battery voltage drops during eclipse periods;
it's believed that the batteries suffered degradation due to heat
during previous no-eclipse periods, making it difficult to keep the
satellite available without risking battery damage.

To extend the satellite's usable life, both the internal
housekeeping unit (IHU) and the transmitter were shut down, ceasing
all transmissions. This included the beacons running every 2 minutes
during times of sunlight and eclipse. AO-85 was turned back on
during the next full-sun illumination period that began on January
24 and enabled for regular use. AO-85 occasionally reset due to low
battery voltage and operated in safe mode.

With AO-85 leaving full illumination and encountering periodic
eclipses, its battery condition again began to deteriorate again.
The satellite's health will be tracked with periodic telemetry
transmissions when commanded by a control operator.

AMSAT asks satellite enthusiasts to continue tracking AO-85 in
FoxTelem and post to the AMSAT-BB or contact Drew Glasbrenner,
KO4MA, via email at, ko4ma@amsat.org .
NNNN
/EX