AMSAT-OSCAR 6

AMSAT-OSCAR 6 (also called AMSAT-OSCAR C, AO-6, Amsat P2A or simply OSCAR 6) was an American amateur radio satellite.

AMSAT-OSCAR 6

Mission type	Amateur Radio Satellite
Operator	AMSAT
COSPAR ID	1972-082B[1]
SATCAT no.	06236
Mission duration	4 years, 8 months and 5 days
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass	18.2 kilograms (40 lb)
Dimensions	16 cm × 30 cm × 44 cm (6.3 in × 11.8 in × 17.3 in)
Start of mission
Launch date	15 October 1972, 17:19:19 UTC[2]
Rocket	Delta 300 575/D-91
Launch site	Vandenberg SLC-2W
End of mission
Last contact	21 June 1977 (1977-06-22)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
OSCAR ← OSCAR 5 OSCAR 7 →

It was launched on October 15, 1972, on a Delta 300 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, together with the NOAA-2. It was the first satellite developed by Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT).^[3]

The first two-satellite communication was established in 1975 via OSCAR 4. The satellite was decommissioned on June 21, 1977 due to failure of their batteries.

Specifications

• Power: Solar cells (3.5 watts)
• Launch mass: 40.2 pounds (18.2 kg)
• Apogee: 902.2 miles (1,452.0 km)
• Perigee: 896.6 miles (1,442.9 km)
• Orbital inclination: 101,7 degrees

Frequencies

• Uplink (MHz): 145.900 - 146.000
• Downlink (MHz): 29.450 - 29.550
• Beacon (MHz): 435.100
• Mode: SSB CW^[4]