Faisat 1

Faisat 1 [Faisat]

Faisat 1 (Final Analysis Inc. Satellite) is a 115 kg minisatellite by Final Analysis Inc., launched on a Russian Kosmos-3M launcher alongside the Tsikada 1, a Russian maritime navigational spacecraft, from Plesetsk on the 24th January 1995 at 03:54UTC into a 1021 × 967 km, 82.9 degree inclined orbit. Its primary mission is digital Store and Forward communications, targeting remote terminals in the U.S.

FAISAT also includes a secondary USAF payload (capilliary loop?), which is reported to have not yet been switched on due to lack of funding. The satellite is the forerunner in a proposed constellation, and tested communication protocols in the little LEO VHF and UHF bands. It has a downlink at 400.6 MHz.

FAISAT-1 was not able to establish satisfactory remote terminal demonstrations and communication links. It was eventually switched off in May 1996 when it was decided that different frequency bands were to be used for the constellation.