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*                      AMSAT NA News Service Bulletins                       *
*                              NEWS135 14May88                               *
*  [ Copyright 1988 by AMSAT NA, The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.  ] *
*  [ Permission is granted for unlimited redistribution by electronic or   ] *
*  [ other means provided credit is given to AMSAT NA News Service (ANS).  ] *
*  [                    Edited for AMSAT NA by WA2LQQ.                     ] *
******************************************************************************

Headlines:

1. Soviet Shuttle Launch This Week?
2. Phase 3C Launch Now June 8
3. Launches To Be Broadcast On Commercial Satellites
4. AO-10 Returns To Service
5. AMSAT-LU Joins In PACSAT Consortium
6. Transpolar Skitrek Progress Report #16: May 14, 1988
7. Conferences Punctuate Spring and Summer
8. Call For Papers, ATJ
9. Short Bursts

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1. Soviet Shuttle Launch This Week?

Soviet space activity is apparently spooling up for a spectacular in the next
few days.  Various reports from sources across the globe seem to point to a
manned Soviet Shuttle launch prior to the Moscow summit which is on tap for
late May. Spot Image satellite photos of the Baikonur launch site apparently
show the giant Energia launcher has been rolled out to the pad.  TASS, the
Soviet news agency, says journalists have been invited to a major space event
on May 18 but did not indicate the nature of the event.  U.S. sources suggest
the event is in fact the launch of Kosmolyet, the Soviet Space Shuttle.  ABC
TV network news said that, based on Soviet sources and various U.S. experts,
the Soviet Shuttle will be manned by two Cosmonauts and will be launched
"Probably just before the Moscow summit".  The consensus is growing that
Wednesday, May 18, is the day.

One prediction made by Soviet Space analyst Charles Vick of the Alabama Space
and Rocket Center is the Soviet Shuttle would most likely try to bring
something back on the first flight.  According to Mr. Vick, a likely candidate
is the "space tug" (KVANT) that was left in orbit last spring after delivering
the KVANT observatory to Mir. But John Biro, K1KSY, doubts that since the
Soviet Shuttle will probably not have a robot arm similar to the
Canadian-developed one on the U.S. Shuttle. Nor are the Soviets known to have
manned maneuvering units (MMU) needed for a retrieval mission says Biro.  They
have engaged in tethered extra-vehicular activity, others have pointed out,
however.

Earlier reports had speculated the initial Soviet Shuttle would be unmanned.
But apparently an internal struggle has been won by Soviet Cosmonauts who
strongly asserted the first Shuttle flight had to be manned since the
automatic landing system remained imperfect and Cosmonauts had balked at
risking the costly Shuttle.

Most sources indicate the Soviet Shuttle "strongly resembles" the U.S. Shuttle
in both form and scale.  The Pentagon has suggested this means the Soviet
Shuttle is a copy of the U.S. version with the implication the U.S. Shuttle
plans were stolen. But another view is offered by U.S. experts and by the
Commander of the Cosmonaut Training Facility near Moscow.  Vladimir Shatalov
says similarities in shape and size are dictated by functional similarities
and fundamentals of aerodynamics and physics.  Shatalov, a veteran Cosmonaut
himself having flown Soyuz 4, 8 and 10, reminded readers of a recent Soviet
news article that the U.S. craft is a spaceship-booster combination which can
lift payloads of up to 29.6 tons to orbit.  Shatalov said: "Our system is a
package tying together the research rocket Energia and the reusable orbiter,
but Energia can also be used independently, without the space shuttle, to
raise up to 100-ton payloads into orbit." The Soviet reusable spacecraft will
probably be carrying two persons on its maiden flight just as the U.S. Space
Shuttle did on its test mission, Shatalov said.

Kosmolyet will depend entirely on the 8.8 million pounds of thrust provided by
the Energia to attain orbit.  Unlike the U.S. Shuttle, Kosmolyet has no
engines of its own.  Moreover, while the U.S. Shuttle has two huge solid fuel
engines to work with its three liquid fuel rockets, Energia uses 8 liquid
fueled engines; four main engines and four strap-ons.  U.S. experts estimate
Kosmolyet can place 66,000 pounds compared to 45,000 pounds for the U.S.
Shuttle launched into comparably inclined low earth orbits.

Kosmolyet will be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at Tyuratam and will
be covered by live television.  In the past, Cable News Network has
distributed live programming from Soviet launch sites broadcast on
Intersputnik, the Soviet network. According to Ed O'Grady, KC2ZF, the Soviets
will announce the Kosmolyet launch this weekend. A feature story on Soviet
space activity is contained in U.S. News and World Report, May 16.

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2. Phase 3C Launch Now June 8

With the Phase 3C launch now scheduled for June 8, "Team Three" groups from
AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA are preparing to depart for the launch site at Kourou to
monitor spacecraft status through to launch.  The exact travel plans of Team
Three will hinge on the launch of Arianespace's V-23 launch now scheduled for
May 17. Phase 3C will carry 4 transponders covering the 2 meter, 70 cm, 24 cm
and 13 cm bands.  Transponder modes employed include Modes B, JL, S and RUDAK.

The launch of Phase 3C will be covered by an AMSAT Launch Information Network
Service (ALINS) being organized by AMSAT Operations VP Ralph Wallio, W0RPK.
Combining the station assets of several major HF facilities around the world
including ARRL HQ station W1AW, as well as WA3NAN and W6VIO at the Goddard
Space Flight Center and the Jet Propulsion Lab, respectively, the Phase 3C
ALINS will assure most who wish to may listen to the launch process in
real-time.  Several VHF repeaters will also be linked in according to W0RPK.
ALINS will also provide current information on daily nets in the days leading
up to launch and status reports in the days immediately following the launch
including, as conditions allow, real-time reports of the first kick motor
burn.

Operating plans for Phase 3C have not yet been announced.  However, based on
previous discussions, it seems likely Mode JL operation will predominate. An
operating schedule presented in terms of Modes and Mean Anomaly will
established after launch and then subject to refinement as on-orbit operating
experience is gained. Similarly, the bulletin format presented on the General
Beacon will be disclosed after launch.  The preliminary telemetry format
appears in a feature article in June QST.  The final calibrated values will be
published in a future ASR as will the bandplan for the various transponders.

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3. Launches To Be Broadcast On Commercial Satellites

Arianespace, the marketing and management arm of the European Space Agency,
says the next two Ariane launches are scheduled for May 17 and June 8.  The
June 8 launch of the Ariane 4 rocket will include AMSAT's new Phase 3C
satellite. To get there, however, the launch of an Intelsat communications
satellite must be successful on May 17.  Here is the schedule:

  Flight    Payload       Date          Launch Windows
===================================================================
| V-23  |  Intelsat     | May 17  |  1. 23:43 - 23:59 UTC         |
|       |               |         |  2. 00:33 - 00:48 UTC (May 18)|
|       |               |         |  3. 01:15 - 01:34 UTC (May 18)|
|-------|---------------|---------|-------------------------------|
| V-22  |  AMSAT        | June 08 |  1. 11:12 - 12:03 UTC         |
|       |  PANAMSAT     |         |  2. 13:25 - 14:44 UTC         |
|       |  Meteosat P2  |         |                               |
|-------|---------------|---------|-------------------------------|

The V-23 launch will be broadcast on SPACENET S1 (120 deg West) on transponder
12.  TVRO owners may want to tune in.  Since the V-23 launch windows fit
within the Tuesday evening 75 meter net operating times, AMSAT will attempt to
provide live coverage of the V-23 countdown during the nets.  The AMSAT 75
meter nets meet on about 3840 kHz Tuesday evenings (Wednesday UTC). The East
Coast Net begins at 2100 EDT.  The Mid-America Net begins at 21:00 CDT. The
Pacific Net begins at 20:00 PDT.

Similar live coverage may be afforded the V-22 launch in June as part of the
AMSAT Launch Information Net Service (ALINS) whereby C-Band satellite video
will be available direct from Kourou.

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4.  AO-10 Returns To Service

AMSAT OSCAR 10 returned to service May 14 providing Mode B communications (70
cm up, 2 m down) to users worldwide.  Operating times for AO-10 Mode B per
ZL1AOX:

             From  May 14 thru  May 30:      MA 20 through MA 220
             From June 01 thru June 14:      MA 25 through MA 225
             From June 15 thru June 30:      MA 30 through MA 230

Please use minimum power required for communications.

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5. AMSAT-LU Joins In PACSAT Consortium

AMSAT-LU is the latest affiliated organization to join with AMSAT-NA in
pioneering a new class of satellites the first of which will be launched in
1989.  AMSAT Argentina President Carlos Huertas, LU4ENQ and AMSAT-LU First
Vice President Arturo Carou, LU1AH, met with AMSAT-NA officials in Dayton Ohio
during the Hamvention recently and agreed on the outline of a joint project.
According to the agreement in principle, AMSAT-LU and AMSAT-NA will cooperate
in the development and construction of a packet radio satellite (PACSAT) owned
and operated by AMSAT-LU.  A definitive agreement is expected to be signed by
mid-May AMSAT-NA officials said.

The agreement in principle with AMSAT-LU means that at least four significant
satellites are to be built by AMSAT-NA in the next months.  In addition to
LU-SAT, AMSAT-NA has agreed to work with Brazil AMSAT in Project DOVE: Brazil
Peacetalker (an educational voice synthesizer project) and the Center for
Aerospace Technology (CAST), a center of excellence at Weber State College,
Ogden Utah.  A fourth satellite, also a PACSAT, is being built for AMSAT-NA.

Other projects under way which include a strong Amateur Radio component are
UoSAT-3 being developed by the University of Surrey (England) and being
sponsored in large measure by VITA, the Volunteers In Technical Assistance. A
quick scan of expected new OSCARs for 1989 include the four new birds from
AMSAT-NA, UoSAT-3 and probably JAS-2 (a clone of JAS-1).  New GAS can projects
may be on the way from Richland Community College (EDSAT) among others.

In addition, a preliminary agreement has been reached to build and launch
HEALTHSAT-A, a PACSAT built by AMSAT-NA for SatelLife for launch from the Mir
Space Station in 1989.  Although HEALTHSAT-A is not planned to be in the
Amateur Service, a team of physician-Amateurs with OSCAR communications
experience is being trained in PACSAT use for health-related satellite-borne
electronic mail under an old concept developed by Yosh Pal and more recently
codified and organized by Nobel Laureate Dr. Bernard Lown of Harvard.

With all this going on, AMSAT membership is expected to blossom.  Information
about participating in any or all of these exciting programs and info on AMSAT
membership as well as a free brochure may be obtained by writing to AMSAT,
P.O. Box 27, Washington, D.C. 20044.  A business sized SASE is appreciated.
Or you may call 301-589-6062.

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6.  Transpolar Skitrek Progress Report #16: May 14, 1988

UoSAT Programmer Michael Meerman, G0/PA3BHF, visited North Pole 28 on his way
to the Pole for a special ceremony with the Transpolar Skitrek Expedition on
April 26th. He talked with the head of the station during his brief stay and
provided this report.

NP-28 is one of the three Soviet scientific drifting polar stations, mainly
for ocean and weather research. The landscape at NP-28 does not really differ
from that at the North Pole. Its distance from the Pole on April 26th was only
about 28 km.  There are just three Soviet stations and one privately based
Californian-Alaskan-Canadian station on the ice cap. NP-28 is about 800 by 800
meters. When it was set up in 1986, it measured about 1.5 by 2 km. It is, of
course, not like an island surrounded by water but is attached; part of the
polar cap. It has drifted about 4000 km in the polar currents since 1986. The
station consists of 5 or 6 wooden barracks, a common room with kitchen,
Meteor/NOAA receiving station, radio shack, a hydrological station where sea
temperatures and currents are monitored and also a radio hut for the
airplanes. About 25 men work at NP-28 in 1 year tours.  People work around the
clock as the sun stays at a constant elevation. The meals at NP-28 were at a
set time but Michael reports he could not see a real difference between what
was served at breakfast, lunch or dinner.

NP-28 has begun to crack apart since Michael's visit. Buildings have had to be
moved and the large AN-74 jet cargo plane that had dropped supplies to the
skiers and brought Michael and others to the Pole can no longer land on
NP-28's shortened runway.

Teachers who wish their students to plot NP-28's southward drift may want to
access the W0RPK AMSAT Bulletin Board at 1-515-961-3325 to obtain a special
exercise containing NP-28 position data since the beginning of the trek. Also
available on the BBS is a questionnaire which should be filled out by all
schools following the trek. The questionnaire may also be obtained by sending
a business sized SASE to: Richard C. Ensign, N8IWJ, 421 N. Military, Dearborn,
MI 48124.

The skiers have made excellent progress recently and are now about half-way
between the Pole and Canada. On May 13 and 14 they were resting after their
first Canadian air supply. A low cloud ceiling prevented the Twin Otter from
spotting the skiers as it flew north so the plane landed at NP-28 and waited
for the weather to clear while loading up with Canadian and Russian supplies.
On May 13, in clear weather, the plane headed south, quickly spotted the
skiers and landed beside their camp. Pilot and co-pilot then spent the "night"
with the skiers before taking off for the trip south. During this rest period
the skiers coordinates were 86d 39m North and 75d 38m West.

This report has been prepared by Rich Ensign, N8IWJ, AMSAT Science Education
Advisor For Use With The AMSAT Teachers Guide "Exploring The High Arctic From
Your Classroom". The next Transpolar Skitrek Expedition Progress Report will
be issued on May 20, 1988

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7. Conferences Punctuate Spring and Summer

The Spring and Summer months are replete with an unusually rich assortment of
space conferences and symposia this year in addition to the assortment of
Amateur Radio conventions and swap fests.  The following are some
space-related activities that may be of interest to AMSAT members.

AMSAT is co-sponsoring the "International Space Development Conference" to be
held in Denver, Colorado May 27 - 30.  The conference is being hosted by the
National Space Society and its Colorado Chapters and will be held at the
Stouffer Concourse Hotel in Denver.  A multi-track program is planned.  There
are tracks on International & Commercial Launches, Socio-Economic matters,
Education, Technical matters and Grassroots matters.  Tours and special events
are planned as well.  An AMSAT booth is planned and AMSAT members receive
special discounts on registration since AMSAT is co-sponsoring the event. For
more information on the conference, contact the conference organizers at
303-692-6788.  The conference will also include a special program called "The
Symposium On Private Enterprise In Space" which will be held from 9 AM to 4 PM
on the first day of the conference, Friday, May 27. The private enterprise in
space symposium is being organized by AMSAT Member Bill Ganoe, N7EAB, of the
University of Arizona.  For more information on this special session, call
Bill Ganoe, N7EAB, at 602-621-2528 or Jill Steele at 303-692-6788.



"Spaceweek 88" this year has the theme "Space: A Commitment to Our Future" and
will be celebrated July 16 thru 24.  Based in Houston, the non-profit
Spaceweek organization needs local coordinators to organize celebrations in
schools, civic groups, planetariums, etc.  For details, call Spaceweek
National Headquarters at 713-480-0007.

The Minnesota Space Frontier Society, a chapter of the National Space Society,
will be participating in Spaceweek 88 with displays at three locations in
Minneapolis and seeks participation and materials from interested parties.
Call 612-927-9743 for further info.  A BBS may be accessed at 612-920-5566.

The 14th Annual Eastern VHF/UHF/SHF Conference will be held May 20 - 22 at
Rivier College, Nashua, New Hampshire.  The program includes a Friday night
hospitality room with swap-fest.  Other weekend activities include technical
talks, rap-sessions, noise figure and antenna gain measurements.  Contact Lew
Collins, W1GXT at 617-358-2854 between 6 and 10 PM EDT for further
information.

The Second Annual Utah State University Conference On Small Satellites will be
held September 18 - 21 in Logan, Utah.  Abstracts of papers are due by July 1.
Contact Dr. Frank Redd at 801-750-3554 for further information.

AMSAT UK and the University of Surrey will hold their Third Annual Space
Colloquium at Surrey (England) July 29 - 31.  The Colloquium will feature both
technical and operational sections and a broad range of papers will be
presented.  See ASR #164, December 14, 1987 for further details or call AMSAT
UK Secretary Ron Broadbent, G3AAJ, in London at 011-44-989-6741.

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8. Call For Papers, ATJ

The third issue of AMSAT-NA Technical Journal is scheduled for publication in
late summer 1988.  Papers reporting original work and significant findings in
the fields of low-cost satellite design, construction, and operation, space
communications, space sciences and related social value issues are welcome.

Contributions may be made by a member of any international AMSAT group.
Contributions are also welcomed from persons not affiliated with an AMSAT
group but with an interest in the Amateur Radio Space Program.  Please also
remember that ATJ does contain articles reprinted from other journals as long
as there is general technical interest and permission for reprinting can be
obtained.  If you know of an article appropriate for reprinting in ATJ, please
inform the editor at the address below.

Please submit your material both in hardcopy and as a text file on diskette.
Any 5 1/4 inch format is acceptable provided the format is clearly indicated
on  the label. Please be sure that any special character sequences inserted by
word processing programs have been deleted from the file. Any required figures
should be carefully drawn or produced by computer at least twice the size they
are likely to appear in the final publication.  Authors are asked to take
particular care with respect to the quality of drawings since a great deal of
production time is saved when the original artwork is done with care.

Mail your submissions to:  Robert J. Diersing, N5AHD, Editor, AMSAT-NA
Technical Journal, Computer Science Department, Corpus Christi State
University, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78412.

The deadline for the next issue is July 1, 1988.  The editor would be most
grateful for any early submissions.

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9. Short Bursts

AMSAT HQ announces that nominations for the office of Director are now in
order.  There are seven Directors and two alternates on AMSAT's Board of
Directors.  A Director serves for two years.  There are four seats up for
election this year.  Any five current AMSAT members may nominate.  In
addition, a Member Society can nominate.  Nominating petitions including the
nominator's names and member numbers must reach AMSAT HQ not later than June
30, 1988.  Send nominating petitions to AMSAT, 850 Sligo Avenue, Silver
Spring, MD, 20910.

                                     ***

The new AMSAT Phase 3C poster debuted at Dayton and is now available from
AMSAT HQ by mail.  It makes a lovely shack wall display and helps to support
AMSAT projects.  And AMSAT's official callsign badges are again in production.
Inquire at AMSAT HQ regarding obtaining your poster and badge.

                                     ***

Another Soviet nuclear powered satellite is out of control and will plummet to
earth in mid-to-late summer.  Cosmos 1900 is predicted to de-orbit in August
or September but it's too early to predict and exact date or impact location.

                                     ***

According to John Biro, K1KSY, the following frequencies are used by the
Soviets in connection with the Mir Space Station.

143.625  MHz   Voice frequency
166.000  MHz   Wideband telemetry; may be KVANT or TM-4; tune to 165.875 or
               166.130 as signal power is at end points
247.500  MHz   Wideband FM telemetry 250 kHz wide from KVANT service pod
922.755  MHz   10 WATT CW from Soyuz TM-4
925.250 or 925.260 MHz is a likely candidate for Progress 36T

The 19.954 MHz +/-1 kHz FSK is from Cosmos 1686,the add-on module to Salyut-7.

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