


Additionally, the latest Two-Line Elements for LEDSAT can be retrieved here.Ĭonsidering the monitoring and housekeeping requirements of LEDSAT, as well as the potential high demand from operators, the digipeater activation time slots will follow a pattern of one day ON and one day OFF, with the switch-on/off always occurring at 00:00 UTC. To predict passes precisely above the ESTEC ground station or your area of residence, refer to this link. LEDSAT follows a Sun-Synchronous orbit, resulting in two communication windows each day – around midday and midnight – where it is possible to establish contact.

Once a message is received successfully, the sender's callsign and contact details will be recorded on a customised QSL card, providing recognition for their achievement. The digipeater will be activated during specific time windows (see below), and operators involved in the project will be available at the station, "listening" for incoming messages. To participate in the challenge, radio amateurs are invited to send a message using the UHF band addressed to the ESA Education Office ESTEC Ground Station, with the callsign PI9ESA. Messages can be retransmitted immediately or with an optional delay of up to two days.

The LEDSAT digipeater is a special feature capable of storing and retransmitting digital messages sent via UHF, serving as a transponder for long-distance communication. Upon launch, a competition for radio and space enthusiasts from all around the world was launched, encouraging participants to record the first signs of life of the spacecraft. The successful launch of LEDSAT on Vega flight VV19 on August 17, 2021, marked a significant milestone for the project. Its primary objective is to demonstrate a LED-based payload for ground-based optical tracking. Developed by students at Sapienza University in Rome, LEDSAT is an educational 1U CubeSat that participated in the second edition of the Fly Your Satellite! programme.
