# Orbiting Picosat Automatic Launcher

> U.S. amateur radio satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q17265532](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17265532)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbiting_Picosat_Automatic_Launcher)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/orbiting-picosat-automatic-launcher

## Summary
The Orbiting Picosat Automatic Launcher (OPAL) is a U.S. amateur radio satellite launched in 2000 to demonstrate technology for deploying picosatellites. It was carried into orbit aboard a Minotaur I rocket and served as a platform for testing automated satellite release mechanisms. OPAL is also known for its role in the amateur radio community, designated as OSCAR 38.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: January 27, 2000
- **Launch Vehicle**: Minotaur I
- **Launch Site**: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8
- **COSPAR ID**: 2000-004C
- **Aliases**: OPAL-OSCAR 38, OO-38
- **Classification**: Technology demonstration spacecraft
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN)**: 26063

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary purpose of the Orbiting Picosat Automatic Launcher?
A: OPAL was designed to test and demonstrate automated deployment technologies for picosatellites, which are extremely small spacecraft.

### Q: How was OPAL launched into space?
A: OPAL was launched aboard a Minotaur I rocket from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8 on January 27, 2000.

### Q: Why is OPAL significant to the amateur radio community?
A: OPAL carried an amateur radio payload and was designated OSCAR 38, supporting communication experiments for amateur radio operators.

## Why It Matters
OPAL played a pivotal role in advancing small satellite technology by demonstrating the feasibility of automated picosatellite deployment systems. As one of the earliest missions to focus on this capability, it contributed to the growth of the picosatellite sector, which has since become critical for low-cost scientific research, educational projects, and technology testing. Additionally, OPAL’s integration of amateur radio functionality highlighted the intersection of experimental space technology and public engagement, fostering interest in space exploration among hobbyists and students.

## Notable For
- First mission to successfully demonstrate automated deployment of picosatellites.
- Carried and released three independent picosatellites during its mission.
- Served dual roles as a technology demonstrator and an amateur radio satellite (OSCAR 38).
- Pioneered systems later used in small satellite constellations and educational space projects.

## Body
### Launch Details
- **Date**: January 27, 2000
- **Vehicle**: Minotaur I (a modified Peacekeeper missile)
- **Site**: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 8, California, USA

### Mission Objectives
- Test automated deployment mechanisms for picosatellites.
- Validate technologies for low-cost, small-satellite missions.
- Provide amateur radio operators with experimental communication opportunities.

### Technical Specifications
- **Primary Payload**: Picosatellite deployment system
- **Secondary Role**: Amateur radio transponder (designated OSCAR 38)
- **Satellite Catalog Number**: 26063
- **COSPAR ID**: 2000-004C

### Deployment Achievements
OPAL successfully released three picosatellites during its mission, marking a milestone in the development of miniaturized spacecraft systems. This demonstrated the viability of using primary satellites as "motherships" for deploying secondary payloads, a technique now common in small satellite launches.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report