December 12, 2021 marked the launch date of first amateur radio satellite called OSCAR 1, which stands for “Orbiting Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio”.

About OSCAR 1

• OSCAR 1 is the first amateur radio satellite launched by Project OSCAR.
• It was launched into low Earth orbit on December 12, 1961.
• It was launched by from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc in California, by a Thor-DM21 Agena B launcher.
• The satellite is a rectangular box, measuring 30 x 25 x 12 cm and having the weight of 10 kg.
• It was launched as a secondary payload (ballast) for Corona 9029, which is the eighth and final launch of KH-3 satellite.
• It was not only the world’s first non-governmental satellite but also the first satellite constructed by a collection of private individuals.
• Satellite was designed and constructed using limited resources.
• It operated for around 20 days.

Features of the satellite

OSCAR 1 satellite comprises of a battery-powered 140 MW transmitter, that operate in the 2-meter band. It employed a monopole transmitting antenna, which was 60 cm long and extended from centre of the convex surface.