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Monster Media 1996 #15
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Monster Media Number 15 (Monster Media)(July 1996).ISO
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AMSAT147.TXT
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1996-05-27
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SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-147.01
YOUNG RESEARCHERS BEAT NASA TO THE PUNCH
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 147.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 26, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-147.01
Two young researchers have been researching a subject that interests many
space professional, how magnetic rods can be used to stabilize a spacecraft
in the magnetic field of the earth! Using data they collected from AMSAT's
WEBERSAT amateur radio satellite, James Wedewer, KE6QNL, and Justin
Hartung spent this school semester studying the motion of WEBERSAT over
the magnetic poles of the earth and through the South Atlantic anomaly.
Webersat, an AMSAT Microsat satellite is stabilized with four bar magnetic
interacting with the magnetic field of the earth. Both researchers were
looking for signs of nutation or wobble over the poles and in the anomaly.
James used FFT analysis to quantify his results.
After winning at their high school science fair, the youth took their work
to the L.A. County science fair where Justin received honorable mention and
James won first place in Physics and Astronomy. At the California State
science fair, James won another first place in Physics and Space Science.
Finally, James competed in the international Fair in
Tucson where he won the prestigious Air Force first place medal, a Navy
scholarship and placed fourth place in the Space Science division of the
fair. At the international science fair, James competed against the best
high school science fair projects from 40 countries. In all James won
$4,750 in cash and scholarships. Justin is a freshman and James is a senior
at Chaminade College Preparatory in West Hills, California, a school well
known for its student projects in Microsat satellite motion
[ANS thanks Dace Reeves, , KF6PJ, for this bulletin.]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-147.02
MIR 21 COSMONAUTS TO HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 147.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 26, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-147.02
U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid, now in her third month aboard the Russian MIR
space station, will join Commander Yuri Onufrienko and Flight Engineer Yuri
Usachev for a news conference at 9:40 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 28, from
MIR.
The news conference, which will be broadcast on NASA Television, will last
40 minutes and be divided into two parts; reporters at NASA centers will
ask questions for the first 20 minutes before switching to the Russian
Mission Control Center in Kaliningrad, where Russian reporters will
ask questions for the last 20 minutes. The Russian portion of the news
conference will be seen on NASA Television with English translation.
NASA Television can be seen on Spacenet 2, Transponder 5, channel 9 with a
frequency of 3880 MHz with audio on 6.8 MHz. Spacenet 2 is at an orbital
position of 69 degrees West longitude. Polarization is horizontal.
[ANS thanks Prof. Ron Long, W8GUS, for this update.]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-147.03
SAREX FACT SHEET - STS-78
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 147.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 26, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-147.03
Amateurs around the world will looking for U.S. Space Shuttle during
mission, STS-78. This will be a SAREX mission and will, once again afford
hams the opportunity to contact with the astronauts aboard Columbia. Some
of these amateurs have volunteered to assist student groups that have
prepared questions to ask the astronauts via ham radio.
As all licensed amateurs know, to operate Amateur Radio from the space
shuttle, one or more of the astronauts must have an Amateur license. In
the case of STS-78, Astronaut Susan T. Helms, who will serve as the Payload
Commander, has Amateur Radio call sign KC7NHZ. Her third shuttle flight,
Helms was a crew member aboard the shuttle Endeavor during STS-54 in
January 1993, and last used ham radio from aboard Discovery during STS-64
in September 1994. In addition, Charles E. Brady Jr. is N4BQW and will
serve as a Mission Specialist on this, his first shuttle flight. Robert
Brent Thirsk, a Canadian amateur, VA3CSA will serve as a Payload
Specialist, also on his first shuttle flight. The remaining crew members
include Commander Terence T. Henricks, Pilot Kevin R. Kregel, Mission
Specialist Richard M. Linnehan, and Payload Specialist Jean-Jacques
Favier. During the mission, the shuttle will carry the Life and
Microgravity Spacelab to conduct experiments in the weightless environment.
Experimenters from around the world will conduct a wide variety of
experiments from microgravity bubble behavior to protein crystallization.
Experiments will also focus on the effects of weightlessness on human
physiology and function.
Amateur Radio has been flying aboard the shuttles since 1983, when Owen
Garriot W5LFL became the first to operate an amateur station from space.
Launch of STS-78 is scheduled for June 20, 1996 at 1449 UTC (10:49 AM EST)
from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Landing is
scheduled for July 6, 1996 at 1246 UTC (8:46 AM EST) at the Kennedy Space
Center, Florida. 15 day mission.
The launch will place the shuttle into Earth orbit at an altitude of
173 statute miles (278 km) and an inclination of 39 degrees.
NASA has several reasons for allowing amateur radio operation from the
Shuttle. One of the most important is to involve the largest possible
numbers of people, particularly students, in technology and the US space
program. During SAREX missions, the astronauts will typically make the
following types of Amateur Radio contacts: Scheduled radio contacts with
schools. Random radio contacts with the Amateur Radio community. Personal
contacts with the astronauts' families.
The primary payload during the STS-78 mission is life and microgravity
experiments in the weightless environment. Experimenters from around the
world will conduct a wide variety of experiments from microgravity bubble
behavior to protein crystallization. Experiments will also focus on the
effects of weightlessness on human physiology and function.
SAREX Sponsors are: the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), The Radio
Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) and The National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA).
Eleven schools from around the world have been selected to make contact
with the shuttle during most SAREX missions. Two or more students at each
of the selected schools will ask questions of the astronauts during these
contacts.
The following schools have been selected by the SAREX Working
Group for a scheduled radio contact during STS-78.
Bethlehem Central Senior High School
Delmar, NY
Eisenhower Middle School
San Antonio, TX
Heritage Middle School
Collyville, TX
Anacortes Middle School
Anacortes, WA
Valley Heights Jr-Sr High School
Blue Rapids, KS
Monroe Elementary School
Santa Barbara, CA
Maple Grove Education Centre
Nova Scotia, Canada
Saskatoon Public Aerospace Education (S.P.A.C.E.)
Saskatchewan, Canada
Toowoomba State High School
Queensland, Australia
Catholic Ladies College
Victoria, Australia
CENG - Nuclear Center of Grenoble
Grenoble, France
During many SAREX missions, Shuttle crew members make random contacts with
hams on Earth. They make these contacts during their breaks, before and
after meal time, and during their pre-sleep time. In fact, over the past 16
years, astronauts have contacted thousands of amateurs around the world. On
many missions, they have carried a 2-meter packet radio station. Innovative
computer software allows the crew to operate the packet gear in an
"unattended" mode, allowing amateurs to make contacts with the Shuttle
ROBOT station when the astronauts are not able to be at the rig.
The crew will use separate receive and transmit frequencies. Amateurs are
asked to not transmit on the shuttle's DOWNLINK frequency. The crew
will not favor any of the uplink frequencies, so success in working the
Shuttle will be the "luck of the draw." Hams should transmit only when
the shuttle is within range of their stations, and when the shuttle's
station has been heard.
FM Voice Downlink: (Worldwide) 145.55 MHz
FM Voice Uplink: 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97, and 144.99 MHz
FM Voice Uplink: (Europe only) 144.70, 144.75, and 144.80 MHz
FM Packet Downlink: 145.55 MHz
FM Packet Uplink: 144.49 MHz
Calls to be used on STS-78 are:
FM voice call signs KC7NHZ, N4BQW, VA3CSA
FM packet call sign W5RRR-1
QSLs go to ARRL EAD, STS-78 QSL, 225 Main Street,
Newington, CT 06111-1494, USA. Those sending cards are reminded to Include
the following information:
STS-78, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode. In addition,
a SASE using a large, business-sized envelope must be included if a Shuttle
QSL is desired. "The Net" in Anacortes, Washington State has generously
volunteered to manage QSL cards for this mission.
During STS-78, the SAREX hardware will be flown in configuration C which
consists of the handheld transceiver, I/F module, PGSC (serves as the
packet data terminal), spare battery set, window antenna, packet module,
SAREX headset assembly, personal recorder, and the required cable
assemblies. The packet module contains a power supply and packet TNC. The
power supply provides power for the TNC and the handheld transceiver.
Configuration C is capable of operating in either the voice or data mode in
communications with amateur stations within LOS of the Orbiter. This
configuration can be operated in the attended mode for voice communication
and either the attended or automatic mode for data communications.
[ANS thanks Bob Inderbitzen NQ1R, for the information used in this
bulletin.]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-147.04
WEEKLY SATELLITE STATUS
HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 147.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, MAY 26, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-147.04
RS-12 operating normally
RS-10 operating normally
AO-27 operating normally
ANS thanks Rusty Hack, NM1K, AMSAT Area Coordinator
for Connecticut for this information about RS-10 ,12
and AO-27.
AO-10 Presumably, AO-10 shutdown almost immediately
after the solar panels were no longer providing charge.
One such shutdown occurred at 14:37 UTC on May 9th, which is
just a couple of minutes after the tracking program showed
there was no longer an intersection of the satellite's
footprint and the terminator. Otherwise, AO-10 is in good shape.
Bill Tynan W3XO/5 reports having three fine QSOs on it Sunday noon, May 26.
ANS thanks Chris Hill, VK6KCH and Bill Tynan W3XO for this news on AO-10
AO-13 is operating normally, even if its passes are not at the most
convenient times of day for us here in the U.S.
WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18 experienced a software crash at 05:50:11
UTC on 17-Apr-96. Initial operating software has been
reloaded by groundstation controllers, and the satellite is
currently transmitting telemetry, OBC status, and beacon
frames on a downlink of 437.102 MHz using right-hand
circular polarization. The digipeater is temporarily off
the air.
ANS thanks John A. Magliacane, KD2BD, and SpaceNews for
this information.
LUSAT-OSCAR-19 continues to provide excellent service to
users all over the world. LO-19 is operated by AMSAT-LU
and operates with a transmitter output power level of between
0.8 and 1.4 watts with a data rate of 1200 bps.
ANS thanks Miguel A. Menendez, EA1BCU, John A. Magliacane, KD2BD,
and SpaceNews for this bulletin on LO-19.
Please send your Satellite reports to bjarts@uslink.net or to
wt0n@amsat.org
/EX