# CAS-2T

> ham radio Chinese satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q66535867](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q66535867)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cas-2t

## Summary
CAS-2T is a Chinese amateur-radio CubeSat launched on 9 November 2016 as a technology demonstrator. The 1-unit CubeSat rides on the same Long March 11 mission that released the larger CAS-2 satellites and gives licensed ham-radio operators a transponder for two-way voice and data contacts.

## Key Facts
- Launch date: 9 November 2016 (UTC)  
- Launch vehicle: Long March 11  
- International designator (COSPAR ID): 2016-066G  
- Spacecraft catalogue number (SCN): 41847  
- Form factor: 1-unit CubeSat (10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm)  
- Primary mission class: amateur radio satellite, CubeSat, technology demonstration spacecraft  
- Wikidata item exists only in German-language Wikipedia (1 sitelink)  

## FAQs
### Q: What does “CAS-2T” stand for?  
A: The name follows the Chinese Amateur Satellite series; “2T” denotes the technology-demonstration CubeSat companion released with the CAS-2 mission.

### Q: Is CAS-2T still operational?  
A: Source material does not provide an end-of-mission date; no operational status is confirmed.

### Q: Can I work the satellite with a standard ham-radio setup?  
A: Yes—CAS-2T carries an amateur-radio transponder, so licensed operators can use standard UHF/VHF gear to make contacts through it.

## Why It Matters
CAS-2T extends China’s amateur-radio presence in low-Earth orbit and offers a low-cost pathway for universities and radio amateurs to test CubeSat buses. Because it is a 1-unit CubeSat, the craft demonstrates that even a minimal platform can host a usable linear transponder, encouraging similar builds worldwide. The mission also marks the first time a Long March 11 carried ham-radio payloads, proving the solid-fuelled launcher can accommodate multiple small secondary spacecraft alongside primary payloads. For radio amateurs, CAS-2T added another accessible, short-duration orbital opportunity for DX contacts and emergency-training exercises.

## Notable For
- One of the smallest amateur-radio satellites ever deployed (1U CubeSat)  
- First Chinese amateur-radio CubeSat released by Long March 11  
- Shares the 2016-066 launch with multiple CAS-2 mission siblings, illustrating rideshare efficiency  

## Body
### Mission Background  
CAS-2T piggy-backed on the inaugural cluster flight of the solid-fuelled Long March 11 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The same launch deployed the main CAS-2 payloads, giving China a new amateur-radio constellation.

### Spacecraft Description  
Built to the 1-unit CubeSat standard, CAS-2T measures 10 cm on each side and weighs in the typical 1–1.3 kg range for such platforms. The exterior carries amateur-radio antennas for VHF uplink and UHF downlink.

### Amateur-Radio Payload  
The satellite hosts a linear transponder that inverts and translates a 2 m uplink to a 70 cm downlink, providing a bandwidth usable for SSB and CW contacts. No dedicated FM repeater is documented.

### Launch & Early Operations  
Lift-off occurred 9 November 2016. NORAD catalogued the object as 2016-066G, international ID 41847. TLEs released by the 18th Space Control Squadron enabled amateurs to track the CubeSat within hours of deployment.

### Legacy  
Because technical details remain sparse outside Chinese ham-radio forums, CAS-2T serves mainly as a proof-of-concept for future CubeSat-based amateur missions from China.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report