SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0821 * SpaceNews 21-Aug-95 * BID: $SPC0821 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY AUGUST 21, 1995 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited free distribution. * VITASAT LAUNCH FAILURE * ========================== The VITASAT-I satellite was launched at 2230 UTC from Vandenberg AFB last Tuesday. The range safety officer destroyed the launch vehicle [Lockheed LLV-1] at approximately 200 seconds into the flight. It appears that the problem may have been in the second stage of the launch vehicle. [Info via Eric Rosenberg] * MIR NEWS * ============ The Mir #19 crew consists of Cosmonauts Commander Anatoly Y. Solovyev, who is making his fourth space flight, and Nikolai M. Budarin, who is making his first flight. The crew has been very busy performing space walks (EVAs). Recently Anatoly Solovyev told an Amateur radio station in Australia that they have preformed three such space walks since the beginning of the mission in July. The packet station, (PMS) appears to be in good shape, however, it has only been on the air for a few days during the whole month of July, and only 1 day in August. During one pass on August 7th at 10:40 UTC, packet from Mir was heard in Boston (145.550 MHz), but 1 hour later as Mir passed over N6JLH in California, the packet station on Mir was shut-down. Two days later, one of the crew was heard speaking Russian to someone in the USA. The crew seems only to be using the equipment during their "OFF" hours, and for a limited amount of time. It is hoped that when crew's work load eases up a bit, they will have more time/power to keep the station on line. The Mir crew sleeps from approximately 21:00 UTC till approximately 05:00 UTC (5pm-1am EST). Most of the Mir passes over the USA are during the sleeping period of the crew. Not much of an increase in Mir Amateur Radio activity is expected until the end of August. The Mir Space station will be visible in the evening sky for the next few days. Please update your tracking programs, and look for Mir passes 30 to 120 minutes after sunset. [Info via G. Miles Mann, WF1F] * RS-15 NEWS * ============== RS-15 is again shutting down both its transponder and telemetry beacon during significant parts of each orbit. The problem is due to the fall of battery voltage hence onboard power supply when the satellite loses solar charge in the darkness brought about by earth eclipse. Intermittent off/on switching commences when the telemetry indicated normal 15.6 - 16.9v power supply falls below 12.4 volts when RS-15 reaches circa 32 degrees north latitude on descending passes. Upon re-emergence into sunlight at circa 50 degrees south the voltage rises again and all satellite systems resume continuous operation again. The battery voltage status is indicated by Channel 1, the first set following 'RS15'. If following the letters 'II' the next letter is U,K,W or O, the voltage of the onboard power supply is less than normal. While it is S,D,R or G, the voltage is normal. The actual voltage is given by the following number, where n x 0.4 = power supply voltage in volts. GM4IHJ's SATSOL program shows that today 10 August 1995 RS-15 is experiencing 29 minutes of eclipse during its 128 minute orbit, permitting a battery charge efficiency of only 77%. As we approach 20 August the situation will further degrade to 35 minutes of eclipse and only 72% battery charge efficiency. 30 August sees the situation improve to 32 minutes of eclipse and 75% charge efficiency. By 9th September we see 23 minutes eclipse and 82%, this further improving to just 17 minutes and 89% by 12 September. The last day of eclipse will be 13 September when only 10 minutes of darkness allows a charge efficiency of 92%. Thus, by 14 September we should be seeing full time satellite operation once more. Until then all users are asked to kindly keep their uplink powers to a minimum to help conserve battery charge. [Info via Pat, G3IOR] * EASTER ISLAND DXPEDITION * ============================ A major DXpedition to Easter Island (Rapa Nui), CE0, is planned for the first two weeks in September 1995. Max Bachi, XE1XA, will be operating satellite with the callsign XR0Y from grid locator GD52iw. He will operate mostly OSCAR 13 *and* OSCAR 10, but North and South America should eventually look for him on other satellites as well (i.e. FO-20) and on 50 MHz. Max is especially looking for the very few and short windows to Central Europe as well as Asia. Please study your best windows to Easter Island on AO-13 and AO-10 and look for him at that time. If North American stations hear Europeans calling Max, please stand by for a few minutes to give them a chance. He will try to work us all. Max will work split as he did in the XF4L DX pedition in 1989, the first major satellite DXpedition to Revillagigedo Islands. The objectives of this operation are as follows: * To activate and provide a new country via satellite. * To promote a major interest on satellite operation. * To confirm the potential of a satellite portable equipment in emergency communications. For suggestions and coments you can contact him before August 26 at his home address. This address will also be used for sending/obtaining QSL cards for the expedition: Max Bachi, XE1XA Seminario 16 La Herradura, Edo. Mex. 52760 MEXICO (525) 394-1199 (work) 291-6916 (home) 394-8120 (fax) You can also send Ramon Santoyo a message, xe1kk@amsat.org, and he will fax it to Max. [Info via Ramon Santoyo V., XE1KK] * OSCAR REPORT * ================ OSCAR satellite status as of 16/17 August: Pacsat AO-16: Normal BBS. Dove DO-17: Congratulations to Dove for 400 days of service. S Band is currently OFF. TLM Rate may change as controllers continue to experiment with power settings. [Telemetry still every 30 secs] Weber WO-18: During the past week there has been various activities: 19:20:00 15-Aug-95 gathering/sending Week 2 WOD variable 0x5 Rx B S meter 0x6 Rx A discrim 0x7 Rx A S meter 0x8 RxE/Fdiscrim 0x9 RxE/F Smeter 0x61 EDAC counter Previous attic code reloaded. Digipeater on -- 145.900 MHz Also seen spect and photo packets [Tuesday and Wednesday/Thurs repectively] Lusat LO-19: August 12. AX.25 downlink on 437.150 MHz. [d/l not very strong but useable - vk7zo] CW experiment on 437.125 MHz. [Nothing heard Monday] CW telemetry to LU8DYF welcome. [Info via Graham, VK7ZO] * ASTRONAUTS TO VISIT LONG ISLAND * =================================== The following Astronauts are rumored to pay a visit to Monitor Aerospace, an airplane parts manufacturer, in Amityville, New York sometime around September 8th: Dr. Donald Thomas Kevin Kregel Col. Tom Henricks Dr. Mary Ellen Weber Major Nancy Currie [Info via John Delaney, N2JUX] * DIGITAL AUDIO WEB PAGE * ========================== Phil Karn, KA9Q, has created a World Wide Web page describing various forms of digital audio encoding techniques, and their possible implications in future OSCAR communications transponders. The URL for Phil's page is: http://www.qualcomm.com/people/pkarn/voicedemo It was been recetly updated to include samples of speech encoded in 13kb/s GSM 06.10, 4.8kb/s FED-STD-1016 CELP, and 8kb/s Qualcomm QCELP (IS-96a). Each sample is paired with a simulated SSB signal having the same overall signal power. [Info via Phil Karn, KA9Q] * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all those who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: ZS5FR KB7ADL GM0ICF Eliran Itzhak * FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED * =========================== Comments and input for SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any of the paths listed below: FAX : 1-908-747-7107 FTP : pilot.njin.net cd to /pub/SpaceNews WWW : http://www.njin.net:80/~magliaco/ 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