Orientation Week for new students at the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Several find that there are actually others who are fascinated by space and all that it offers, so they join the Melbourne University Astronautical Society, MUAS. It turns out that MUAS members have actually been receiving signals from satellites. What excitement and what's more we can contribute!
Building new antennas, improving receivers and scrounging parts, culminating in signals from space being drawn into the rooftop garret that is the clubroom. Earth satellites, moon probes, American and Russian - amazing!
Then one day the challenge is laid down - let's build our own satellite. What would a bunch of students know about building a satellite. Not much, but enthusiasm defeated ignorance and in 1967 a small amateur radio satellite called Australis was built and proved that it would work in space. Now for a launch.
Eventually a new American group, AMSAT, agreed to persuade their bosses, NASA, to launch Australis. Never mind that NASA was coping with the Apollo moon landing program (or perhaps because is was distracted) Australis OSCAR 5, as it is known in orbit, was launched from the United States by NASA on 24 January 1970.
And it worked! Now browse the tabs above for more details on the project.
Building new antennas, improving receivers and scrounging parts, culminating in signals from space being drawn into the rooftop garret that is the clubroom. Earth satellites, moon probes, American and Russian - amazing!
Then one day the challenge is laid down - let's build our own satellite. What would a bunch of students know about building a satellite. Not much, but enthusiasm defeated ignorance and in 1967 a small amateur radio satellite called Australis was built and proved that it would work in space. Now for a launch.
Eventually a new American group, AMSAT, agreed to persuade their bosses, NASA, to launch Australis. Never mind that NASA was coping with the Apollo moon landing program (or perhaps because is was distracted) Australis OSCAR 5, as it is known in orbit, was launched from the United States by NASA on 24 January 1970.
And it worked! Now browse the tabs above for more details on the project.