SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0422 * SpaceNews 22-Apr-96 * BID: $SPC0422 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY APRIL 22, 1996 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use. * UPCOMING AO-13 ECLIPSE * ========================== A partial eclipse of the Sun by the Moon will deprive OSCAR-13 of solar power on 1996 May 17 [Fri] from 0030 to 0225 UTC, Orbit 6068, MA 151-195. Maximum obscuration is 73% at 0135 UTC, MA 175. This event will be visible (in the telemetry) from South Africa, India, S.E. Asia, and Australasia as a substantial drop in solar panel temperatures, and reduced power production. The transponders will be OFF. MA Dist Rsun Rmoon Obsc. Date HHMM ONO /256 deg deg deg % Type =================================================================== 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0030 6068 151 0.505 0.264 0.251 0.260 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0035 6068 153 0.468 0.264 0.251 2.910 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0040 6068 155 0.431 0.264 0.251 6.899 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0045 6068 156 0.395 0.264 0.251 11.750 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0050 6068 158 0.359 0.264 0.251 17.248 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0055 6068 160 0.324 0.264 0.251 23.259 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0100 6068 162 0.288 0.264 0.251 29.690 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0105 6068 164 0.253 0.264 0.252 36.462 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0110 6068 166 0.218 0.264 0.252 43.492 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0115 6068 168 0.184 0.264 0.252 50.672 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0120 6068 169 0.151 0.264 0.252 57.822 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0125 6068 171 0.120 0.264 0.252 64.570 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0130 6068 173 0.096 0.264 0.252 70.136 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0135 6068 175 0.083 0.264 0.252 72.938 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0140 6068 177 0.091 0.264 0.253 71.418 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0145 6068 179 0.115 0.264 0.253 66.105 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0150 6068 181 0.149 0.264 0.253 58.618 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0155 6068 182 0.190 0.264 0.253 50.040 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0200 6068 184 0.234 0.264 0.253 40.935 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0205 6068 186 0.281 0.264 0.253 31.658 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0210 6068 188 0.332 0.264 0.253 22.520 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0215 6068 190 0.384 0.264 0.254 13.887 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0220 6068 192 0.440 0.264 0.254 6.296 PAR 1996 May 17 [Fri] 0225 6068 194 0.498 0.264 0.254 0.801 PAR Dist is the Sun-Moon angular separation. Rsun and Rmoon are the Sun and Moon semi-diameters as seen from AO-13. ONO = Orbit number. Obsc.% = Percentage Moon area obscured. PAR = Partial eclipse. The data represented above is also available in a graphical (15k GIF) format via the Internet at the following address: ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/satinfo/ao13/moonecl.zip [Info via James Miller G3RUH @ GB7DDX.#22.GBR.EU] * STS MISSION UPDATE * ====================== The Space Shuttle Endeavor is scheduled for launch on mission STS-77 on 16-May-96 at 1032 UTC. STS-77 will not carry a SAREX package. The next mission carrying SAREX will not come until STS-78, currently scheduled for liftoff on 20-Jun-96 at 1449 UTC. STS-78 will carry Space Shuttle Columbia into orbit for a 16 day microgravity mission. SAREX communications will include FM voice and packet radio (SAREX configuration `C'). The mission that follows (STS-79) will also carry SAREX. STS-79 will utilize Space Shuttle Atlantis, and is scheduled for launch on 01-Aug-96 at 0342 UTC. SAREX on this mission will be limited to FM voice contacts only. * STSORBIT PLUS NEWS * ====================== David H. Ransom, Jr., the author of the popular STSORBIT PLUS satellite tracking program for the PC, has announced the release of a new version of his program. Version 9615 correctly handles 2-line Keplerian orbital data element files regardless of the line termination characters used. It is available at David Cottle's Home Page, at: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~dcottle/files The following files are available at this site: SOP9615A.ZIP Main STSPLUS Program, Part 1 of 2 SOP9615B.ZIP Main STSPLUS Program, Part 2 of 2 SOP9615U.ZIP Update ONLY from STSPLUS Version 9610 STSPLUS.NEW Update Notes for Versions 9615, 9610, and 9607 Also available: EARTH3.ZIP STSPLUS Level 3 Map Database Files (updated 1996) [Info via David H. Ransom, Jr.] * SpaceNews AVAILABILITY * ========================== SpaceNews is available regularly on Usenet in the rec.radio.info, rec.radio.amateur.misc, and sci.space.news newsgroups, and on packet radio BBSs worldwide as well as the AMSAT-OSCAR-16 Pacsat satellite. It can also be retrieved using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) at pilot.njin.net (128.6.7.38) from the /pub/SpaceNews subdirectory. You may also "finger magliaco@pilot.njin.net" for a copy of the latest issue, or access it via the World Wide Web at the following URL: http://www.cs.indiana.edu/finger/pilot.njin.net/magliaco/w. * 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 @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19 <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>> /EX