Orbital Focus - International Spaceflight Facts and Figures
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STSS Demonstrator Mission


Tyneside, UK
2024 Apr 20
Saturday, Day 111

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Description of missile detection and interception system

STSS Demonstrator home page
Fading on the STSS Signal

The signal strength from these two satellites in not constant. Sometimes one is stronger than the other as they pass over together and sometimes it is the other way round. Occasionally, rapid fading can be seen on the signal.

This is a view of the fading as exhibited by the 2247.5 Mhz object 2009 Sep 29. It is not constant in frequency - between 14:18 and 14:20 there are six cycles but in the next two-minute slot there are only three.

STSS Doppler

The signal was quite weak and not well placed with respect to a 3.5 turn helix aerial. If it had come through stronger then the fading might not have been so obvious.

Sven Grahn has reported a similar phenomenon with the 2272.5 MHz signal from the second satellite when tracking it from Sweden. It may be an effect of the satellite design with signal reflections occuring from elements of the satellite structure.
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