RAFT

RAFT is no longer on orbit
RAFT is classified as:

NORAD ID: 29661

Int'l Code: 2006-055C

Launch date: December 10, 2006
Source: United States (US)
Launch site: AIR FORCE EASTERN TEST RANGE (AFETR)
Decay date: 2007-05-30

Uplink (MHz): 145.825
Downlink (MHz): 145.825
Beacon (MHz):
Mode: 1200bps AFSK
Call sign: RAFT
Status: Reentered

The RAFT Mission is to provide a cubesat in the cubesat cluster which has an on-board transponder capable of identifying itself via the NSS satellite Radar Tracking system to help locate the Cubesats. Without this transponder, the Cubesats are too small to be detected by normal non-queued tracking systems, and so there is no easy way to find these individual cubesats once they have begun to spread from the original launch tracking elements. Secondly, RAFT will have a separate 217 MHz NSSS radar transmitter and receiver, which can help with calibration tests of the separate NSSS transmit and receive antenna beams.