The FM transponder on AO-123 has been activated on periodic basis since its launch in late 2024. Beginning this weekend (Aug 2025), it is expected to enter continuous service if no issues are observed.
AO-123 (ASTRU-1) is a 12U Cubesat mission designed by Russian and Chinese university students for education and amateur radio. The amateur radio station provides telecommand uplink and telemetry / digital image downlink.
A new SDR based transceiver was developed for ASRTU-1 to provide communication and experiment resources to radio amateurs, including a V/U FM transponder, a UHF telemetry downlink and a 10.5G image downlink.
The uplink is 145.850 MHz with a 67 Hz CTCSS tone and the downlink is 435.400 MHz.
[ANS thanks the AO-123 team for the above information]
2 replies on “AO-123 FM Transponder to Enter Continuous Service”
As of Oct. 24 2025 it remains inactive. I wonder whatever happened. It’s a great amateur radio satellite, and it’s sad to see it silent.
Yes it’s sad… But that is the life for satellites.