SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1206 * SpaceNews 06-Dec-99 * BID: $SPC1206 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY DECEMBER 6, 1999 * STS-103 PRE-LAUNCH ORBITAL DATA * =================================== Below is the nominal State Vector and Keplerian Elements for STS-103. The vector data comes from NASA; the Keplerian Elements were computed from the vector. This file may be read by VEC2TLE version 9648 to update your Keplerian Elements text file. Vector format = 10117 Satellite Name: STS-103 Catalog Number: 99103 Epoch MET: 0.03520680556 0/00:50:41.868 MET EFG E: 2143847.449639 ft F: 20187122.111640 ft G: -10410939.011664 ft Edot: -22903.959277 ft/s Fdot: 539.252752 ft/s Gdot: -3299.961330 ft/s ndot/2 (drag): 0.00003279256 rev/day^2 nddt/6: 0.00000E+00 rev/day^3 Bstar: 3.84501E-05 1/Earth Radii Elset #: 1 Rev @ Epoch: 1.70568227552 Launch scheduled: 1999-DEC-09 0610 UTC Note that "99103" is a temporary catalog number. A permanent catalog number and international designator will be assigned when STS-103 is launched. The following Keplerian elements were computed by VEC2TLE from this vector, using a 0.5 drag multiplier: STS-103 1 99103U 99343.29215125 .00003279 00000-0 38450-4 0 16 2 99103 28.4726 15.5635 0200064 53.2815 200.7736 15.39769321 16 Satellite: STS-103 Catalog number: 99103 Epoch time: 99343.29215125 Element set: 1 Inclination: 28.4726 deg RA of node: 15.5635 deg Eccentricity: 0.0200064 Arg of perigee: 53.2815 deg Mean anomaly: 200.7736 deg Mean motion: 15.39769321 rev/day Decay rate: 3.27926e-05 rev/day^2 Epoch rev: 1 Checksum: 282 VEC2TLE may be downloaded from . Ken Ernandes n2wwd@amsat.org http://www.mindspring.com/~n2wwd * RS-13 NEWS * ============== Several reports received indicate that the RS-13 satellite has been switched into Mode KA with both 2-meter and 15-meter uplinks working well. * ANTARCTICA SATELLITE DXPEDITION * =================================== Ronald Ross, KE6JAB, is planning a trip to a mountain area in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica (72 deg S, 8 deg E) this week. It will be a cross-country skiing/camping trip, pulling sledges from mountain to mountain. Ron expects it to last the entire month of December. Similar to his last trip, he will be taking an Amateur Satellite Radio Stationi along with him. He will transmit text messages and images from Antarctica back to a website in San Francisco, California. Messages will be distributed through a mailing list, and images will be posted on his website. Ron will try to send a travel report and a new image each day. Roy, W0SL and Jerry, K8SAT have generously offered to provide assistance in downloading files Ron uploads to amateur pacsat satellites. Those not active on the Pacsats can subscribe to Ron's mailing list by following the instructions provided at: http://www.thistle.org/subscribe.htm More information aboout the trip is available at: http://www.thistle.org/ [Info via Ronald Ross, KE6JAB] * SUNSAT OPERATING SCHEDULE * ============================= Henry Chamberlain, ZS1AAZ, has supplied the following SUNSAT schedule. Daily passes have been scheduled for when Ronald Ross, KE6JAB, is operational from the Antarctic. Times listed are UTC. Uplink is on 436.291 MHz plus and minus 9 kHz Doppler shift. Downlink is on 145.825 MHz. Please mail comments to saamsat@intekom.co.za 4 December 1999 Australia 01:49 to 02:03 RSA 08:30 to 08:44 Europe 08:54 to 09:08 USA 15:32 to 15:46 5 December 1999 Australia 01:09 to 01:23 RSA 09:30 to 09:44 Europe 08:14 to 08:28 USA 16:28 to 16:42 10 December 1999 Antarctic 09:23 to 09:33 19:08 to 19:18 11 December 1999 Australia 00:29 to 00:43 RSA/Antarctic 08:48 to 09:02 Europe 09:11 to 09:25 USA 15:46 to 16:00 Antarctic 20:06 to 20:16 12 December 1999 Antarctic 08:03 to 08:13 21:06 to 21:16 13 December 1999 Antarctic 09:04 to 09:14 20:25 to 20:35 14 December 1999 Antarctic 08:24 to 08:34 19:45 to 19:55 15 December 1999 Antarctic 09:24 to 09:34 20:45 to 20:55 16 December 1999 Antarctic 08:43 to 08:53 20:05 to 20:15 17 December 1999 Antarctic 09:43 to 09:53 21:05 to 21:15 18 December 1999 Australia 00:48 to 01:02 RSA/ Antarctic 09:06 to 09:20 Europe 09:28 to 09:42 USA 16:06 to 16:20 Antarctic 20:24 to 20:34 19 December 1999 Australia 01:49 to 02:03 RSA/ Antarctic 08:26 to 08:40 Eastern Europe 07:11 to 07:25 South America 13:34 to 13:48 Antarctic 19:45 to 19:55 20 December 1999 Antarctic 09:23 to 09:33 20:44 to 20:54 21 December 1999 Antarctic 08:42 to 08:52 20:04 to 20:14 22 December 1999 Antarctic 09:43 to 09:53 21:04 to 21:14 23 December 1999 Antarctic 09:02 to 09:12 20:23 to 20:33 24 December 1999 Antarctic 08:22 to 08:32 19:43 to 19:53 25 December 1999 Japan 01:16 to 01:30 RSA/ Antarctic 09:26 to 09:40 Europe 08:08 to 08:22 USA and Canada 14:44 to 14:58 Antarctic 20:43 to 20:53 26 December 1999 Australia 02:07 to 02:21 RSA/ Antarctic 08:46 to 09:00 South America 13:50 to 14:04 USA 15:44 to 15:58 Antarctic 20:03 to 20:13 27 December 1999 Antarctic 09:42 to 09:52 19:23 to 19:33 28 December 1999 Antarctic 09:01 to 09:11 20:22 to 20:32 29 December 1999 Antarctic 08:20 to 08:30 19:42 to 19:52 30 December 1999 Antarctic 09:20 to 09:30 20:43 to 20:53 31 December 1999 Antarctic 08:40 to 08:50 20:02 to 20:12 [Info via Hans van de Groenendaal] * LAUNCH DELAY * ================ The launch of ASUSat, JAWSAT, STENSAT, and OPAL have been delayed until January 22, 2000 due to technical difficulties. Launch information is available via the Internet at: http://www.eas.asu.edu/~nasasg/asusat/launchcampaign/launchcampaign.html This page is also reachable from the main ASUSat home page at: http://www.eas.asu.edu/~nasasg/asusat/asusat.html [Info via Assi Friedman, KK7KX/4X1KX] * HAWAII ON AO-27 * =================== John, K6YK, reports that Jerry, KK5YY/KH6 was on Maui as of 01-Dec-99 and has operated from grids BL10 and BL20 last week. More activity from Jerry is expected. * 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 @ N2TDU.NJ.USA.NA <-------- New address! :-O 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