SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1017 * SpaceNews 17-Oct-94 * BID: $SPC1017 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY OCTOBER 17, 1994 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * KEPLERIAN DATA AVAILABLE* ============================ The most current orbital elements from the NORAD two-line element sets are carried on the Celestial BBS, +1.205.409.9280, and are updated daily (when possible). Documentation and tracking software are also available on this system. The Celestial BBS may be accessed 24 hours/day at 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, or 9600 bps using 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Element sets (also updated daily), shuttle elements, and some documentation and software are also available via anonymous ftp from archive.afit.af.mil (129.92.1.66) in the directory pub/space. [Info via Dr. Thomas S. Kelso] * SPACE RADAR IMAGES AVAILABLE * ================================ Several images of Earth from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) instrument flying on space shuttle Endeavour on the recent STS-68 mission are available at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's electronic access site. The images are: Chernobyl, Ukraine: P-44705 SC-CHERN.GIF 167K P44705.JPG 1235K Kliuchevskoi Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia: P-44707 SC-KLIUC.GIF 122K P44707.JPG 3147K Mt. Rainier, Washington State, USA: P-44703 SC-RAINI.GIF 276K P44703.JPG 2879K In addition, the following recently released image from SIR-C/X-SAR's flight 1 in April 1994 is also available at the site: Silk Road, China: P-44535 SC-SILK.GIF 88K P44545.JPG 905K By World Wide Web over Internet, the images may be accessed from JPL's home page, http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/, under the heading "News flashes." They may also be accessed by anonymous file transfer protocol (ftp) to jplinfo.jpl.nasa.gov. The GIF browse files are in the `news' directory, while the JPEG full-resolution files are in the `sircxsar/images' directory. The site may also be accessed by dialup modem at +1 (818) 354-1333, up to 14,400 bps, N-8-1. The GIF browse files are in the NEWS library, while the JPEG full-resolution files are in the SIRCXSAR library. Hardcopy photographic prints of these images may be ordered by quoting the "P-" file number from the following vendor: Newell Color Lab 221 N. Westmoreland Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90064 USA telephone +1 (213) 380-2980 fax +1 (213) 739-6984 [Info via JPL] * MAGELLAN MISSION ENDS * ========================= The successful five-and-a-half-year mission of NASA's Magellan spacecraft to map the surface and measure the gravity of Venus ended on 12-Oct-94 when ground controllers lost contact with the spacecraft. Magellan was expected to burn up in the planet's upper atmosphere within two days of the lost of signal. The final chapter of the Magellan story was written as Earth-based tracking stations lost the spacecraft's radio signal at 10:02 Universal Time (3:02 AM Pacific Daylight Time). The loss of signal, which was anticipated, was due to low power on the spacecraft, exacerbated by Magellan's orientation as it performed a final experiment in the upper atmosphere of Venus. The spacecraft's thrusters were fired in four sequences on Tuesday, 11-Oct, to lower Magellan's orbit into the thin upper atmosphere and set up the final experiment, before the spacecraft's failing power system or dynamic forces and friction from the Venusian atmosphere shut off communication. Magellan gathered scientific data on the planet's upper atmosphere, including aerodynamic interactions with it during the spacecraft's final descent, by orienting its wing-like solar panels in opposite directions, like a windmill. The termination experiment was an extension of the windmill experiment performed in early September. It was carried out as the spacecraft was within weeks, if not days, of the end of its useful life due to expected decreases in solar power output from the thermal stress produced by more than 15,000 orbits of Venus. Launched in May 1989, Magellan entered Venus orbit in August 1990 and gathered data for over four years. The mission exceeded all of the objectives defined for its exploration of Venus. It used radar to map 98 percent of the planet's cloud-covered surface to an average resolution of better than 300 meters and compiled a high-resolution, comprehensive gravity field map for 95 percent of the planet. The gravity data will allow scientists to see "underneath the planet's skin" and compare that knowledge of the interior to the wealth of surface features revealed by Magellan's radar imaging, said Project Manager Doug Griffith at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, California. Magellan also performed a first-of-a-kind "aerobraking" maneuver by dipping into the atmosphere to reshape its orbit. This technique is now being used in the design of the Mars Glal Surveyor mission to enable the spacecraft to enter orbit around the planet Mars in 1997 using less fuel, resulting in significant savings of weight and cost. "The Magellan mission to Venus has been successful beyond all expectations," said JPL Director Dr. Edward C. Stone. "It not only fulfilled its science and mission objectives, it also demonstrated innovative technologies for future missions." [Info via JPL] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all those who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: VE3WBZ ZS6BMN N9XJY * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the following paths: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 PACKET : KD2BD @ N2KZH.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com -or- kd2bd@amsat.org SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19 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