What does SAPPHIRE stand for in the satellite's name?
SAPPHIRE stands for Stanford AudioPhonic PHotographic IR Experiment. The satellite was built by students at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, and was also designated Navy-OSCAR 45.
Questions about Sapphire
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the SAPPHIRE satellite launched and on what rocket?
SAPPHIRE launched on the 30th of September 2001 aboard an Athena 1 rocket from the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska. It shared the launch with Starshine 3, PICOSat, and PCSat.
What instruments did the SAPPHIRE satellite carry?
SAPPHIRE carried an infrared sensor, a digital camera, and a speech synthesizer. From 2002 onward it also operated as an APRS digipeater for the amateur radio community.
What were the uplink and downlink frequencies for the SAPPHIRE satellite?
SAPPHIRE used an uplink frequency of 145.945 MHz and a downlink of 437.1 MHz. It transmitted at 1200 bits per second using AFSK, with the call sign KE6QMD.
Who built the SAPPHIRE satellite and what was its purpose?
Students at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California built SAPPHIRE. Its purpose was student training, scientific instrument operation, and training US Naval Academy midshipmen in satellite control.
When did the SAPPHIRE satellite mission end?
SAPPHIRE's mission ended in early 2005, approximately three and a half years after its September 2001 launch.