UOSAT-OSCAR_14

UoSAT-3

UoSAT-3

Defunct British Low Earth Orbit Satellite

UoSAT-3, also known as UO-14 and OSCAR-14, is a British satellite in Low Earth Orbit. It was built by a spin-off company of the University of Surrey, Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) and launched in January 1990 from French Guiana.[1] The satellite functioned as one of a series of OSCAR satellite in orbit around the Earth, as well as observing Earth and performing scientific experiments.[2]

Quick Facts Mission type, Operator ...

UoSAT-3 was launched on the same rocket as its sister satellite, UoSAT-4.[2]

Current status

UoSAT-3 exceeded its expected operational life by 3 years and ceased active service in 1999.[4] However, amateur radio enthusiasts managed to track the satellite for a certain amount of time afterwards via the satellite's FM voice transponder.[4]

The satellite, which is now non-operational, forms a part of the growing amounts of space debris orbiting around the Earth. The payload will decay in the Earth's atmosphere some time in the future.

References

  1. [1]
    "Sat Cat". Celestrak. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  2. [2]
    "UoSat 3, 4, 5 (UO 14, 15, 22 / Oscar 14, 15, 22) / Healthsat 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  3. [3]
    "Oscar 14 - Orbit". Heavens-Above. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  4. [4]
    "Messages from Space". University of Surrey. Retrieved 27 June 2012.


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