Niwaka

FITSAT -1 ( Niwaka ) is a Japanese amateur radio satellite with CubeSat architecture, was built at the Fukuoka Institute of Technology on the island of Kyūshū. Its main mission is to transfer JPEG images in VGA resolution. The secondary mission includes the study of optical satellite communication by means of LEDs.

FITSAT -1 was launched on July 21, 2012 with the HTV -3 from the Tanegashima Space Center and brought to the International Space Station ISS. From there it was on October 4, 2012 along with the four other CubeSats TechEdSat 1, WE WISH RAIKO and F-1 is released into space.

The satellite sends the digital data at 5840 MHz in the 6- inch band with 115.2 kbps. In addition (70 cm band ) is operated in a CW beacon on 437.250 MHz. Also sends a packet radio transceiver on 437.445 MHz AX.25 telemetry in and simultaneously serves to control the satellite.

10 cm x 10 cm satellites come on its secondary mission in the 10 cm × green high-performance LEDs with a power of 30 W at a wavelength of 560 nm are used. This send in optical telegraphy parallel to the CW beacon on the 70 cm band. Initial tests on Japan and Europe in December 2012 showed that it using a photo amplifier to a telescope was possible to decode the Morse sequence visually.

His COSPAR designation 1998 - 067CP, its call sign is JG6YEW.