Fox-1Cliff

{{short description|American amateur radio satellite}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Fox-1Cliff

| image =

| image_size =

| image_caption =

| mission_type = Communications

| operator = AMSAT

| website =

| COSPAR_ID = 2018-099N

| SATCAT = 43770

| mission_duration =

| spacecraft_bus =

| manufacturer =

| dry_mass =

| launch_mass = {{Convert|1.3|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| dimensions = {{convert|10|x|10|x|10|cm|in|abbr=on}}

| power =

| launch_date = {{start date|2018|12|3|13|34|df=y}} UTC

| launch_rocket = Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5)

| launch_site = Vandenberg SLC-4E

| launch_contractor = SpaceX

| last_contact =

| decay_date =

| orbit_epoch = 3 February 2020

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Low Earth

| orbit_periapsis = {{convert|580.6|km|mi}}

| orbit_apoapsis = {{convert|599|km|mi}}

| orbit_semimajor = {{convert|6960|km|mi}}

| orbit_eccentricity = 0.0013176

| orbit_inclination = 97.7217°

| orbit_period = 96.3 minutes

| orbit_RAAN = 108.0793°

| orbit_arg_periapsis = 289.6601°

| orbit_mean_motion = 14.94902621

| apsis = gee

| programme =

| previous_mission =

| next_mission =

}}

Fox-1Cliff, AO-95 or AMSAT OSCAR 95 is an American amateur radio satellite. Fox-1Cliff is a 1U CubeSat built by AMSAT-NA that carries a single-channel transponder for mode U/V in FM.{{Cite web|url=http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/finished_detail.php?serialnum=455|title=IARU Sat Coordinator|website=www.amsatuk.me.uk|access-date=2018-12-17}}

The satellite carries several student experiments:{{Cite web|url=https://www.amsat.org/fox-1cliff-ready-for-launch/|title=Fox-1Cliff Ready for Launch|website=AMSAT|date=30 September 2018 }}

It also carries a VGA camera provided by Virginia Tech.

Mission

File:Fox-1Cliff Safe Mode Beacon Waterfall.png

File:Fox-1Cliff (AO-95) Safe Mode Beacon.wav

Fox-1Cliff was launched on 3 December, 2018 via Falcon 9 Block 5 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, United States.{{Cite web|url=http://www.arrl.org/news/amsat-s-fox-1cliff-amateur-radio-cubesat-launched-successfully|title=AMSAT's Fox-1Cliff Amateur Radio CubeSat Launched Successfully|website=www.arrl.org|access-date=2018-12-17}}

= Receiver failure =

Shortly after deployment, AO-95's receiver suffered a failure for unknown reasons.{{Cite web|url=http://www.arrl.org/news/fox-1cliff-ao-95-receiver-suffers-apparent-failure|title=Fox-1Cliff/AO-95 Receiver Suffers Apparent Failure|website=www.arrl.org|access-date=2018-12-17}}

Name

The satellite is the third of five Fox-1 satellites, and was originally named Fox-1C. In 2016, it was renamed Fox-1Cliff in honor of Cliff Buttschardt, a long time member of AMSAT and a contributor to the project, who died earlier that year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amsat.org/fox-1cliff-designated-amsat-oscar-95-ao-95/|title=Fox-1Cliff Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 95 (AO-95) – AMSAT|date=14 December 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-17}} After its launch, Fox-1Cliff was renamed AO-95.

See also

References