SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0717 * SpaceNews 17-Jul-95 * BID: $SPC0717 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY JULY 17, 1995 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * STS-70 SAREX NEWS * ===================== The Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center on 13-Jul-95 within 55 seconds of its 13:41 UTC scheduled launch time for an 8 day mission in space. The flight was delayed at T-31 seconds (just prior to the auto sequence start) for a few seconds to clear a small issue. The deployment of the last in the current generation of Tracking Data Relay Satellites from the space shuttle was successful. The satellite is now on its way to geostationary orbit to serve the Shuttle and Space Station programs and unmanned satellites like Hubble Space Telescope. Astronauts Don Thomas, KC5FVF, and Nancy Sherlock Curie, KC5OZX are operating the SAREX package on Discovery in both Voice and Packet modes. The following packet text was copied by Dave, N6JLH on 14-Jul-95 at 08:23:29 UTC from the SAREX experiment on the Space Shuttle Discovery: W5RRR-1*>QST : Greetings from the STS-70 Crew aboard the Space Shuttle DISCOVERY !! We had a fantastic launch yesterday and a successful deploy of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite. It was spectacular watching it move out of the payload bay. We look forward to making contact with as many people as possible during the next week. Thanks for your interest in our mission. 73's Don and Nancy (KC5FVF and KC5OZX) SAREX communications will use the callsigns of KC5FVF and KC5OZX for making FM voice contacts with ground stations, and W5RRR-1 for packet connections. All operations will be in split frequency mode. DO NOT TRANSMIT on the downlink frequency. Voice Freqs: Downlink: 145.55 MHz (Worldwide) Uplinks: 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97, 144.99 MHz (Except Europe) 144.70, 144.75, 144.80 MHz (Europe only) The crew will not favor any specific uplink frequency, so your ability to work the crew will be the "luck of the draw". Packet Freqs: Downlink: 145.55 MHz Uplink: 144.49 MHz Ten school groups will participate in SAREX with pre-scheduled direct and telebridge contacts. These include nine in the U.S., and one in Argentina. The Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club, Sterling Park, Virginia has generously volunteered to distribute the QSL cards for this mission. Send reception reports and QSLs to ARRL EAD, STS-70 QSL, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111, USA. Include the following information in your QSL or report: STS-70, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode (FM voice or packet). In addition, you must also include a SASE using a large, business sized envelope if you wish to receive a card. [Info via Frank H. Bauer, KA3HDO for the SAREX Working Group] * OSCAR STATUS NEWS * ===================== AO-16 Pacsat in normal BBS mode operating normally. AO-17 Dove-ok operating normally telem dwell now 40 secs. WO-18 webersat operating normally gathering/sending WOD only. No further uploads of new software seen this week. WOD can be decoded using either Wod2ss or Weberware 1.2 or 1.3 Current WOD broadcast: WODCHAN:14 2F 30 35 3B 40 8-Jul-95 gathering/sending week 1 WOD arrays 0x26 -X Array Cur 0x27 +X Array Cur 0x28 -Y Array Cur 0x29 +Y Array Cur 0x2A -Z Array Cur 0x2B +Z Array Cur digipeater on, uplink @ 145.9 MHz. 73, kb7kcl LU-19 Lusat operating as for last week..no further upload of software- still in telemtry mode only. FO-20 Fuji sending cw telem on both downlinks. [Info via Graham, VK7ZO] * SpaceNews NEWS * ================== Edward, BV1AF, is now translating SpaceNews into the Chinese language for distribution via the BV-Net packet BBS in Taiwan. This brings the number of languages SpaceNews is available in to six (English, French, Portugese, Spanish, Italian, and Chinese). Thanks to all the translators and distributors of SpaceNews for bringing news of the Amateur Satellite Program to the world! * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below. Please be aware that I do not have time to research answers to questions, nor do I maintain an extensive database of satellite information. Those wishing additional information regarding the Amateur Satellite Program should contact their local AMSAT area coordinators, tune into some of the AMSAT nets on the air, or write their local AMSAT organizations. Check advertisments in Amateur Radio magazines for addresses. FAX : 1-908-747-7107 PACKET : KD2BD @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org -or- magliaco@pilot.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16 MAIL : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD Department of Engineering and Technology Advanced Technology Center Brookdale Community College Lincroft, New Jersey 07738 U.S.A. <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX