SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0417 * SpaceNews 17-Apr-95 * BID: $SPC0417 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY APRIL 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. * FUTURE AMERICAN VISITORS ON MIR * =================================== Astronaut Shannon W. Lucid, Ph.D., will be the second American to be a prime crew member during a five-month stay aboard Russia's space station Mir in 1996. Jerry M. Linenger (Commander, Medical Corps, USN) will be the third American to fly to the orbital laboratory, also in 1996. John E. Blaha (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) will serve as backup to Lucid and Scott E. Parazynski will act as backup to Linenger. Lucid and Blaha have been training since February in Star City, Russia. Linenger and Parazynski will begin training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in late May. Blaha and Parazynski will continue training at Star City for stays aboard Mir on future missions. These assignments continue the U.S./Russia human space flight cooperation, which consists of a three-phased program. Phase one includes seven planned Space Shuttle-Mir missions between 1995 and 1997, including rendezvous, docking and crew transfers. The Space Shuttle will assist with crew exchange, resupply and payload activities for Mir. Russian cosmonauts have flown on two Shuttle Missions - STS-60 in 1994 and STS-63 last month. Four or more U.S. astronaut stays aboard Mir are planned, totaling nearly two years of on-orbit time. Phase two is the joint development of the core international Space Station. Phase three is the expansion of the Space Station to include all of the international partners. Lucid, 52, has flown four times aboard the Shuttle. She was a mission specialist on STS-51-G in June 1985, STS- 34 in October 1989, STS-43 in August 1991 and STS-58 in October 1993. She received her master of science and doctorate of philosophy degrees in biochemistry from the University of Oklahoma in 1970 and 1973 respectively. Blaha, 52, has flown on four Shuttle missions, STS-29 in March 1989, STS-33 in November 1989, STS-43 in August 1991 and STS-58 in October 1993. He received a master of science degree in astronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1966. Linenger, 40, flew on Discovery's STS-64 mission in September 1994. He earned a doctorate in medicine from Wayne State University in 1981 and a master of public health degree in health policy and a doctor of philosophy degree in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina in 1989. Parazynski, 33, was a member of Atlantis' STS-66 crew in November 1994. He completed medical school at Stanford University in 1989 and served his medical internship at the Brigham and Women's Hospital of Harvard Medical School in 1990. [Info via NASA] * RS-15 DX NEWS * ================= James Tudehope, KL7QR, of Valdez, Alaska reported contacting Cyo, JA0BBW, in Japan via RS-15 using CW from 05:16 GMT to 05:25 GMT on 14-Apr-95. James uses 100 watts of transmitter power into a ground plane on 2 meters for his uplink to the satellite. His downlink antenna consists of a dipole strung between trees. KL7QR was also able to contact Steve, VE3TFU, near Toronto, Canada on RS-15 using SSB. He received a 5x5 signal report. James perfers to operate CW on RS-15 because he seems to get more use of the satellite >From horizon to horizon, as opposed to operating SSB where he has a narrower window of good copy. James can usually be found on a downlink frequency of 29.375 MHz on both RS-15 and RS-10 satellites. * THREAT TO HAM BULLETINS * =========================== A petition for rule making before the FCC would eliminate all one-way transmissions such as code practice and information bulletins on the amateur bands below 30 MHz. The FCC has assigned file number RM-8626 to the petition, which was filed by Frederick O. Maia, W5YI, publisher of the commercial newsletter "The W5YI Report". The petition seeks to eliminate the rules that permit one-way information bulletins and Morse code practice in the amateur bands below 30 MHz. The effect of the petition would be to silence W1AW bulletin and code practice transmissions, among others. Maia calls the FCC rule that permits certain one-way transmissions on the amateur bands "a very permissive category and taken in its broadest context, permits just about anything to be transmitted that is even remotely associated with the amateur service." Maia says that code practice is now available on computer software, and information bulletins about amateur radio can be had on various computer on-line services. Comments on the petition may be sent in the form of a letter to the Secretary, FCC, Washington, DC 20554. The file number, RM-8626, should be shown prominently at the top. An original and five copies is preferred, but single copy comments will be accepted. A copy should also be sent to Mr. Maia's lawyer, Raymond A. Kowalski, Keller and Heckman, 1001 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20001. The deadline for comments on the petition is May 4, 1995. [Info via ARRL] * AMSAT-OSCAR-10 NEWS * ======================= Benoit, VE2VB, reports that the AO-10 satellite is performing well. Benoit is using a Kenwood TS-790A with KLM 22-C downlink and KLM 40-CX uplink antennas with no preamp on receive and no external power amplifier on transmit. He's worked into Germany, France, England, USA, and many more areas of the world on the satellite. * NEWS CORRECTION * =================== The SpaceNews BBS in Tacoma, Washington is on 145.690 MHz, and it is linked to the N7SBP - UO-22 SatGate gateway. [Info via Mario, KD6ILO] * 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 @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org -or- magliaco@pilot.njin.net 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