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[jamsat-news:655] * SpaceNews 06-Oct-97 *


SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1006
* SpaceNews 06-Oct-97 *


BID: $SPC1006


			       =========
			       SpaceNews
			       =========


			MONDAY OCTOBER 6, 1997


SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It
is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use.


* MIKE FOALE'S FINAL MESSAGE FROM MIR *
=======================================
The following message is from Mike Foale prior to his departure from the Mir
space station.  It was received by Miles Mann, WF1F via the Mir packet radio
BBS:

 Stat   : PR
 Posted : 09/28/97 14:50
 To     : ALL
 From   : R0MIR
 @ BBS  :
 BID    :
 Subject: Mir Status

 Well STS-86 made its docking smoothly yesterday, and I must honestly say
 I am looking forward to seeing my wife Rhonda, daughter Jenna, and 3 yr
 old son Ian, who my shuttle crew say has grown twice his size since I
 last saw him.  I will be sad leave my good Russian friends Anatoli and
 Pavel here on Mir, but it is now time for me to say goodbye to them, and
 to all the Hams in the world who have spent the time to talk to us.

 Thank you.

 I will be showing David Wolf, my replacement, how to operate the PMS
 here, and I hope you will enjoy many contacts with him.  For now, the
 70cm experiment is over, and MIREX will later post its findings.

 Best wishes
 Michael Foale KB5UAC, NASA 5.


* DOVE-OSCAR-17 RETURNS TO 2-METERS *
=====================================
Jim White, WD0E, has reported through the AMSAT News Service that the
DOVE-OSCAR-17 satellite has returned to 2 meters (145.825 MHz AFSK-FM).
Operational software has again been successfully loaded into the spacecraft
by the DOVE command team.  WD0E started the software upload on 17-Sep-97
at 19:40 UTC and reports the software seems to be running well.  Reports
on the condition of the batteries would be appreciated, and should be
directed to: wd0e@amsat.org.  Jim reports it remains to be seen how long
the intermittent watchdog timer in the satellite will allow this software
to run.  The S-band transmitter is on to facilitate testing of S-band
equipment on the ground, particularly for those working toward P3D Mode-S
capability.  Power level on the 2 meter transmitter is about 1-watt day
and night.  Telemetry is currently being sent every 60 seconds, but this
could change due to power management needs.


* SSTV FOR SPUTNIK ANNIVERSARY *
================================
Well known SSTV experimenter Ted G6HMS will be transmitting Sputnik 1
pictures to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1
using slow-scan television via the FO-20 and FO-29 satellites.  Operations
start on Saturday October 4th on FO-20 and FO-29 and will continue until
November 3rd.  Format for the transmissions is Martin 1 on 435.880 MHz to
435.870 MHz (USB).  The uplink will be fixed in frequency, so groundstations
receiving the images will need to tune their receivers in response to
Doppler shift.

[Info via John Heath, G7HIA]


* STUDENTS HELP CELEBRATE SPUTNIK'S BIRTHDAY *
==============================================
On 04-Oct-57, Sputnik 1, the first man-made satellite was successfully
launched in low-earth orbit, thus ushering in the dawn of the space age.
Sputnik 1 was joined less than a month later by Sputnik 2 on 03-Nov-57.
Sputnik 1 decayed in the earth's atmosphere in early January 1958, while
Sputnik 2 survived until 14-Apr-58.

To help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Sputnik 1's historic space voyage,
the L'Aeroclub of France, along with the Russian Aeronautical Federation
joined forces to coordinate the construction of a miniature satellite similar
in construction to Sputnik 1.  Students from the Jules Reydellet College in
St. Denis Reunion Island and the Polytechnic Laboratory of Nalchik Kabaradine
Balkar Republique were called upon to develop a working model of the original
Sputnik satellite that would be hand deployed from the Mir space station
during an EVA on Sputnik 1's 40th birthday (04-Oct-97).

The satellite carries a low-power (100 mW to 200 mW) 2-meter VHF-FM beacon
transmitter operating on 145.800 MHz that emits a pulsating tone similar
to the original Sputnik.  The audio frequency of the tone is a function
of the internal temperature of the spacecraft in keeping with the design
and operation of the original Sputnik.  Its lifetime in orbit is expected
to be between one and two months.


* HIGH-SPEED DIGITAL SATS ON THE WAY *
======================================
With TMSAT-1 and other high-speed digital communication satellites being
prepared for launch, development on inexpensive and effective reception
solutions will soon be needed.  Chris Jackson, G7UPN/ZL2TPO has prepared
a Web page describing what equipment is necessary to effectively communicate
with the next generation of high-speed "Pacsats".  The page may be found at:

   http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/CSER/UOSAT/amateur/38k4_receiver_paper.html

This page will be frequently updated with some additional information and
higher quality images over the next week or so, so stay tuned.

[Info via Chris G7UPN / ZL2TPO]


* 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, KITSAT-OSCAR-25


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/EX