SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1101 * SpaceNews 01-Nov-99 * BID: $SPC1101 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY NOVEMBER 1, 1999 * PHASE 3D NEWS * ================= Arianespace Launch To Benefit Amateur Radio Operators Geneva - on 15-Oct-99 at Telecom '99, Arianespace and AMSAT-DL, the German branch of the international amateur radio satellite community, announced the signing of a launch contract for the AMSAT Phase 3-D communications satellite, to be carried aloft on an Ariane 5 as auxiliary payload. The launch will take place in the year 2000 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. AMSAT Phase 3D will be one of the first secondary payloads boosted by Ariane 5, which will use a special adapter for orbital injection. Weighing 650 kg (1,430 lb) at launch, AMSAT Phase 3-D will be injected into a geostationary transfer orbit. It will then use its own propulsion system to reach elliptical orbit (4,000 x 47,000 km, inclined at 60 degrees), where it will be used as a relay by the international community of amateur radio operators for nearly ten years. In 2000, Arianespace will also inaugurate its new ASAP-5 (Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads), designed for micro-satellites weighing less than 100 kg (220 lb) or mini-satellites weighing less than 300 kg (660 lb). ASAP-5 replaces the previous-generation ASAP-4, which has been used 6 times on Ariane 4. Arianespace has orbited some 27 auxiliary payloads since 1980. [Info via Peter Guelzow, DB2OS] * RS-16 DECAY * =============== Eric, W3DQ reported through Peter, DB2OS that the Zeya spacecraft (aka RS-16) decayed from orbit and re-entered the earth atmosphere last Monday morning. Zeya was the first launch from the new Russian "Svobodny" cosmodrome in 1997. SpaceComs last prediction prepared Oct 24, 16:11 UTC shows the decay at 25 October 1999, 04:12 UTC +/- 08 hours. * FO-29 NEWS * ============== The FO-29 command station of the JARL has announced that due to a memory error on-board the FUJI-OSCAR-29 satellite, the satellite's transponder will remain in analog (JA) mode until resetting and loading of software into the on-board computer takes place. The memory error was detected on 08-Oct-99. [Info via Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK] * KITSAT-OSCAR-23 NEWS * ======================== KITSAT-OSCAR-23's Tx-0 transmitter was shut down on 22-Oct-99. Instead of turning it back on, the satellite's second downlink transmitter (Tx-1) was turned on, since Tx-0's temperature increase resulted in degraded downlink performance. The temperature increase is the results of a decrease in spacecraft eclipse periods. Controllers expect to switch Tx-0 back on around 12-Nov-99. Some downlink frequency drift can be expected. [Info via Hyungshin Kim -- KO-23 Control Station] * SATELLITE DEMO * ================== On Monday November 8th from 8:00AM EST to 12:00 NOON EST, John Santillo, N2HMM will be demonstrating Amateur Radio Satellite Communications to the fifth and sixth grade students of Lounsbury Hollow Middle School in Vernon Township, NJ (FN21rf). John is planning to operate AO-27 at the 8:53 AM AOS and the 10:32 AM AOS as well as FO-29 at AOS 11:08AM (if still in Mode JA; Freq. of 435.865MHz; all EST times). John will also attempt AO-10 in between the above passes. If you happen to be available on the 8th for a QSO on any of the above mentioned satellites, please feel free to jump in and promote amateur radio and the science of satellite communications. [Info via John Santillo, N2HMM] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all who recently sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: Pat, N4QSV * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/ PACKET : KD2BD @ N2SMV.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, KITSAT-OSCAR-25 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> <<=- Serving the planet (and beyond) since 1987 -=>> /EX