STARS II

STARS II is no longer on orbit
STARS II is classified as:

NORAD ID: 39579

Int'l Code: 2014-009H

Launch date: February 27, 2014
Source: Japan (JPN)
Launch site: TANEGASHIMA SPACE CENTER (TNSTA)
Decay date: 2014-04-26

Uplink (MHz):
Downlink (MHz): 437.405
Beacon (MHz): 437.245
Mode: 1200bps AFSK CW
Call sign: JR5YDX
Status: Reentered

Uplink (MHz):
Downlink (MHz): 437.425
Beacon (MHz): 437.255
Mode: 1200bps AFSK CW
Call sign: JR5YDY
Status: Reentered

STARS 1 (Space Tethered Autonomous Robotic Satellite), also known as Kukai, consists of a Mother Satellite and a Daughter Satellite connected by a tether. The Mother Satellite (Ku) deploys the tether having the Daughter Satellite (Kai) at its end. Daughter Satellite has one arm, and the tether is attached at its end. Then attitude control by arm motion using tether tension is possible. Main mission is to take pictures of a satellite during tether deployment. The objectives of the mission are that the Mother Satellite deploys tether having Daughter Satellite at its end; Daughter Satellite controls attitude of CCD camera by robot motion; Mother Satellite and Daughter Satellite communicate through Bluetooth. The Daughter Satellite takes pictures of the Mother Satellite, and transmittes these to ground stations through amateur radio frequency. An improved version was launched as STARS 2.