It was a secondary payload aboard a Minotaur rocket launched from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA Wallops Flight Facility as. GeneSat-1 is a 10 x 10 x 30 cm. spacecraft, which will conduct a cellular biology technology demonstration.

The planned orbit is 410 by 412 km with a 40 degree inclination.

Of particular interest to the amateur radio satellite community, is the GeneSat-1 beacon. Operating at 437.067 MHz FM, (8 kHz lower that the frequency previously given) the beacon sends an AX.25 packet at 1200 baud every 5 seconds; the packet contains data about the spacecraft systems operation. The beacon will initiate transmission as soon as the spacecraft is deployed from its carrier on the 4th stage of the launch vehicle. 

Due to Doppler shift the beacon frequency will vary +/- 9 kHz during a pass.

To foster interest in the amateur community, and to support amateur radio and space technology outreach to secondary and higher education student groups, the GeneSat University Mission Ops Team is sponsoring a contest, with recognition and awards. Full details at:

http://www.crestnrp.org/genesat1/ahc.html

The GeneSat-1 team would like to receive reports of the beacon messages and issue a QSL confirmation of your reception. Your report can be submitted at

http://genesat1.engr.scu.edu/beacon/beaconsubmission.htm

Note your browser needs to be set to allow pop-ups in order to receive the QSL.

GeneSat1 Home Page http://www.genesat1.org/

Online Satellite Pass Predictions http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/predict/

Satscape Freeware Satellite Tracking Software http://www.satscape.co.uk/