FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Number 94-05      Sept. 28, 1994 

Amateur Radio Operators Assemble New 
Space Satellite in Central Florida

Host AMSAT's North American Space Symposium in Orlando, 
October 7-9

     Orlando, Florida:   AMSAT, The Radio Amateur Satellite 
Corporation, has selected Orlando as the final assembly location for 
Phase 3-D, the largest and most sophisticated space satellite ever 
built for Amateur Radio Operators (Hams). 

     AMSAT is a not-for-profit, worldwide group of Hams who share 
an active interest in building, launching and communicating with 
each other through their own non-commercial satellites.  Since its 
founding, over 25 years ago, AMSAT has used predominantly 
volunteer labor and donated resources to design, construct, and, with 
the added assistance of government and commercial space agencies, 
launch some 30 Amateur Radio Satellites into Earth orbit.  Nearly 20 
of these satellites are currently in orbit and operational.

      Final assembly of the Phase 3-D satellite is now underway in the 
Foreign Trade Zone at the Orlando International Airport.  Several 
central Florida radio amateurs, as well as a number of other 
volunteers from around the world, will be working in Orlando over 
the next two years to prepare the satellite for launch.  Phase 3-D is 
now slated to ride on the second flight of the European Space 
Agency's new Ariane 5 booster from their launch facility at Kourou, 
French Guiana in mid-l996. 

     In conjunction with the ongoing assembly effort, AMSAT will 
also conduct its annual North American Space Symposium in 
Orlando from October 7th to 9th, 1994, at the Holiday Inn on SR-
436 adjacent to the Orlando International Airport.  A press 
conference outlining the details of the new satellite effort will be 
held at the Holiday Inn on Saturday, October 8th, beginning at 10 
AM.  Escorted tours and a photo opportunity of the Phase 3-D 
spacecraft in work at the assembly facility will immediately follow.

     The Phase 3-D project is a worldwide effort first conceived by a 
German group of Amateur Radio Operators led by Dr. Karl Meinzer, 
DJ4ZC.  Since that time, volunteer AMSAT groups from nearly 
twenty countries on four continents have been designing and 
constructing equipment for the project.

     Note to Editors -  The AMSAT Satellite Assembly Facility is 
located approximately five miles from the hotel.  No smoking, food 
or drinks are permitted in the facility.  Photographers will take 
photos of the satellite through the cleanroom's Plexiglas walls.  
AMSAT personnel will escort members of the press to and through 
the facility and will also be available at the facility for stand-up 
interviews. 

For more information contact:

Keith C. Baker, KB1SF
1324 Fairgrounds Road
Xenia, Ohio 45385-9514 USA
"kb1sf@amsat.org"