40 years ago: 23 May 1980, (unsuccessful) launch of German Firewheel and AMSAT Phase 3-A (OSCAR-9) satellites on Ariane1 L02 rocket. P3-A was an open source and open hardware project developed in the 70ies by AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA. It carried a communication payload consisting of 50 Watt Mode-B (435 MHz → 146 MHz) linear-transponders and a freely programmable on-board computer running the open source operating system IPS developed by Karl Meinzer DJ4ZC. This historical video thankfully made available by CNES shows details from the launch campaign and the P3-A satellite which was probably never seen before in public..
see this Video (without Audio!) https://videotheque.cnes.fr/in…rlaction=doc&id_doc=25811