K  AMSAT OSCAR 40  **STATUS REPORT FROM DJ4ZC**  (2000-11-20)   
1. AMSAT OSCAR 40 had a perfect launch on Nov. 16 and was       
injected into a nominal orbit.                                  
2. Transmission of telemetry from OSCAR 40 on 70cm was expected 
3h after launch. But we ran into a problem with the 70cm        
Tx. Consequently the spacecraft was switched to use the 2m      
middle beacon as downlink for telemetry. This required a        
"repeater program" in IHU-2 which was uploaded.
                 
L  3. After communication was established, the health of        
OSCAR 40 was analysed and everything testable at this stage     
except for the 70cm Tx was found to be nominal and fine.        
4. The attitude control system then was calibrated and torque   
operations were started to take the attitude to 270/0.  This    
reorientation should be finished in a few days. Then we are     
ready for the first planned orbit change (400N-mtr) resulting   
in 50000 km apogee altitude. The attitude will also allow a...
  
M  thorough study of the 70cm Tx problem with the hi-gain ant.  
5. The two 2400 MHz transmitters were operated and are ok.      
6. Pictures from the separation sequence are being downloaded   
and will shortly be available on our website. There we will     
also show the test-schedule for some first amateur operations.  
7. Steps after 1st orbit change: test the electric propulsion   
system and then use it to further increase appogee altitude     
using the arcjet before the big i-change.   --73s Karl--