Five research CubeSats – all with Amateur Radio communication systems – were successfully deployed from the International Space Station beginning around 1430 UTC today. The satellites were launched from the Kibo station module using a specially equipped robotic arm.

The group includes…

TechEdSat, a collaboration among NASA’s Ames Research Center; San Jose State University; the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), will be sending AX.25 packet telemetry at 437.465 MHz. The TechEdSat team is asking for assistance from amateurs in decoding and relaying data. Follow the mission on their Twitter page. More information about decoding and submitting packet data is available here.

FITSAT-1, designed and built at the Fukuoka Institute of Technology, Japan, will test the feasibility of high-speed microwave data downlinks in low Earth orbit. It will transmit telemetry on 437.445 MHz and 5.84 GHz. They welcome signal reports from amateurs at their website.

WE WISH, from the Meisei Electric Company Radio Club, Japan, will send CW telemetry and occasional SSTV images at 437.505 MHz.

RAIKO, designed and built by students at Wakayama University, Japan, will transmit high-speed data at 2.2 and 13 GHz.

F-1, built by students at FPT University in Hanoi, Vietnam will send telemetry at 145.980 and 437.485 MHz using 1200-baud packet and CW. Amateurs are asked to monitor and submit reports. More information is available here.