# DESPATCH

> Japanese art project and radio transmission smallsat

**Wikidata**: [Q19258237](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19258237)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/despatch

Here’s the structured knowledge entry for **DESPATCH**:

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## Summary  
DESPATCH (also known as Fuji-OSCAR 81 or FO-81) is a Japanese amateur radio satellite and art project launched in 2014. It transmitted experimental radio signals and poetry from space as part of the ARTSAT-2 mission before ceasing operations in early 2015.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch Date**: December 3, 2014, at 04:22:04 UTC from Yoshinobu Launch Complex Launch Pad 1.  
- **Launch Vehicle**: H-IIA (Flight H-IIA-26), carrying Hayabusa2 and other secondary payloads.  
- **COSPAR ID**: 2014-076C; NSSDCA ID: 2014-076C.  
- **Mission Duration**: Operational from December 7, 2014 (acquisition of signal) until January 3, 2015 (loss of signal).  
- **Aliases**: Deep Space Amateur Troubadour’s Challenge, Fuji-OSCAR 81, FO-81, ARTSAT-2.  
- **Class**: Amateur radio satellite with artistic and experimental transmission goals.  

## FAQs  
### Q: What was DESPATCH's primary purpose?  
A: DESPATCH combined amateur radio functionality with an art project, transmitting poetry and experimental signals from space as part of Japan's ARTSAT-2 initiative.  

### Q: How long was DESPATCH operational?  
A: It transmitted signals for less than a month, from December 7, 2014, to January 3, 2015.  

### Q: What other payloads launched with DESPATCH?  
A: It shared its H-IIA rocket with Hayabusa2, Shin'en 2, and PROCYON.  

## Why It Matters  
DESPATCH bridged technology and art, demonstrating how small satellites could serve unconventional purposes beyond traditional scientific or commercial applications. As part of Japan's ARTSAT-2 project, it showcased the potential for creative expression in space, inspiring interdisciplinary collaborations. Its brief but unique mission contributed to amateur radio satellite experimentation and highlighted the accessibility of space for artistic endeavors.  

## Notable For  
- **Artistic Mission**: One of the first satellites to transmit poetry and experimental art from space.  
- **Amateur Radio Role**: Designated Fuji-OSCAR 81 (FO-81), it served the global ham radio community.  
- **Short Lifespan**: Operated for less than a month, emphasizing the challenges of smallsat missions.  

## Body  
### Launch and Deployment  
- Launched on December 3, 2014, aboard H-IIA Flight 26 from Yoshinobu Launch Complex.  
- Secondary payload alongside Hayabusa2, Shin'en 2, and PROCYON.  

### Mission Timeline  
- **Signal Acquisition**: December 7, 2014.  
- **Signal Loss**: January 3, 2015.  

### Technical Details  
- **Classification**: Amateur radio satellite (ARTSAT-2 series).  
- **Aliases**: Reflect its dual identity as an art project (Deep Space Amateur Troubadour’s Challenge) and radio satellite (Fuji-OSCAR 81).  

### Legacy  
- Contributed to the ARTSAT project’s goal of merging space technology with artistic expression.  
- Demonstrated the feasibility of low-cost, short-duration smallsat missions for niche applications.  

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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/despatch.htm)
3. [Source](https://www.amsat.org/beaconclosed-satellites/artsat-2-despatch/)