[jamsat-news:2314] ANS-021 AMSAT Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-021

ANS is a free, weekly, news and information service of AMSAT North America, 
The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS reports on the activities of a 
worldwide group of Amateur Radio operators who share an active interest in 
designing, building, launching and communicating through analog and digital 
Amateur Radio satellites.

Please send any amateur satellite news or reports to:

ans-editor@amsat.org

In this edition:
* AO-27 Recovered and Operational
* ANDE / FCAL Object Number Correction
* Falcon/Demosat Launch Delayed
* ARISS Status - 15 January 2007

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-021.01
AO-27 Recovered and Operational

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 021.01
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 21, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-021.01

As of 14 January 2007 AO-27 was once again recovered and returned to operation 
through dedicated work of the Command Team.

Michael, N3UC, reports that after working on several problems with the AFSK 
modem on AO-27, they were able to upload the flight code. AO-27 is now 
running the EOS software and sending good telemetry.  With the  TOPR schedule 
now running the Analogue repeater has been turned back on.

The current schedule turns the satellite on during ascending passes (South to 
North) at approximately 30 degrees North latitude.  Initially there is 20 
seconds of telemetry data followed by 5 minutes of analogue repeater 
operation.  Then an additional 60 seconds of telemetry data is sent before 
the satellite transmitter turns off.

Please keep in mind that AO-27 is 13 years old and takes some work to keep 
going.

Additional information is available at www.ao27.org

[ANS thanks Michael, N3UC,for the above information]

/EX 


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-021.02
ANDE / FCAL Object Number Correction

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 021.02
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 21, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-021.02

Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, reports that CELESTRACK has had the names of ANDE MAA 
and FCAL swapped. Bob says, "I clearly heard the difference during an 
overhead pass. The signals from ANDE were clearly 2 minutes ahead of where I 
was tracking. What I thought was ANDE MAA is actually
FCAL and when I pointed at FCAL, I found strong signals from ANDE"

To summarize,
29667 is REALLY FCAL
29664 is REALLY ANDE MAA

CELESTRACK has had them reversed in its AMATEUR satellite list.

Much more information about these satellites is available on the ANDE, RAFT, 
NMARS, & FCAL Operations web site.
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/ande-raft-ops.html

[ANS thanks Bob, WB4APR, for the above information]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-021.03
Falcon/Demosat Launch Delayed

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 021.03
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 21, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-021.03

During final check-outs prior to static fire, an anomaly was uncovered with 
the thrust vector control (TVC) pitch actuator on the second stage that will 
result in launch being pushed to February. Since this is not used during the 
static fire, we have decided to push forward with that test in order to 
acquire valuable data on engine ignition, pad acoustics, and the overall 
system response. The static fire is now planned to occur between Saturday and 
Tuesday (California time). This test will proceed very slowly and then only 
burns for about four seconds. A video will be posted to the SpaceX website 
afterwards.

Upon completion of the static fire, the rocket will be taken back into the 
hangar to thoroughly investigate the TVC issue. With the range available to 
us only until January 23 (Kwaj needs to reconfigure for an incoming Minuteman 
mission), this means launch is now planned for mid-February. Elon Musk, 
SpaceX CEO said, "As I've mentioned previously, don't hold your breath for 
this launch. Given the large number of robustness improvements and the fact 
that our vehicle/pad health verification system has increased from about 30 
checks to almost 1000, shifts in the launch date are to be expected." 

[ANS thanks Elon for the above information]

/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-021.04
ARISS Status - 15 January 2007

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 021.04
 From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
January 21, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-021.04

1.  Successful Sherman Elementary School Contact

Sherman Elementary School in Henrietta, New York experienced a successful 
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Monday, 
January 8. Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, answered the sixteen questions asked of 
her by 8 students.   The audio for this contact was fed into the EchoLink 
AMSAT (101 377) and JK1ZRW (277 208) servers and into theIRLP Discovery 
Reflector 9010. Thirty-two connections were made to the video which was 
streamed on the internet. Two local newspapers and television stations 
covered the event. The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle ran an article on its 
website. See:
http://www.rochesterdandc.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070108/NEWS01/701090307/1002/NEWS


2. Dilworth Elementary School Contact, a Success

On Monday, January 8, 2007, students at Dilworth Elementary School in San 
Jose, California participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space 
Station (ARISS) contact with Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, onboard the ISS. 
Twenty-two students were able to ask one question each, as approximately two 
hundred fifty students, parents and teachers looked on. Two newspapers 
covered the event.  The San Jose Mercury News ran a web story with a video 
clip of the contact. See: 
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/16413528.htm 
The story ran in the printed edition of the paper on Tuesday, January 9.  The 
event will also be covered on the front page of the Cupertino Courier¡Çs 
January 17 edition.


3. ARISS Upcoming School Contacts

cole lmentaire publique Le Prlude in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada has been 
scheduled for an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) 
contact on Wednesday, January 24 at 13:55 UTC. All students, grades K-6, will 
participate in a space exploration unit leading up to the ARISS contact. They 
will make posters and contribute to a group mural related to the event. The 
school¡Çs website will post a special section on space designed by the 
students. Sixth grade students will study the solar system as part of their 
science curriculum, and an astronaut appearance will be planned. Students 
will also write to local dignitaries inviting them to attend the event, which 
will be held at the Science and Technology Museum.  The contact will be 
available on the internet for the entire school, as well as other schools, 
and the media will be notified.

Winnebago Public School is located on the Winnebago Indian Reservation in 
Nebraska and has been slated for an Amateur Radio on the International Space 
Station (ARISS) contact on Thursday, January 25 at 14:18 UTC. Amateur radio 
operators will be invited to present to the students such topics as 
propagation, solar flares, and signal bouncing. Hands on activities are 
planned. A competition will be held among 9-12 grade students in order to 
choose the questions that will be asked of the astronaut. Grades K-12 will 
compete to design the school¡Çs QSL (contact) card. Newspapers and television 
and radio stations will be invited to the event.


4.  ARRL Article on Australian, New York Contacts

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) ran an article on the Amateur Radio on 
the ISS contacts with the Australian Jamboree scouts and the Sherman 
Elementary School students. See: 
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/01/10/100/?nc=1


5. Sunita Williams Enjoying ARISS Contacts

An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) member sent a 
message congratulating Sunita Williams on the fine job she has been doing 
with her ARISS contacts. She responded with a note indicating that she really 
enjoys the contacts as they have been informative and interesting, and she 
looks forward to participating in many more. Thank you Sunita!

[ANS thanks Carol, KB3LKI for the above information]

/EX


In addition to regular membership, AMSAT offers membership in the President's 
Club. Members of the President's Club, as sustaining donors to AMSAT Project 
Funds, will be eligible to receive additional benefits. Application forms are 
available from the AMSAT Office.

73, 
This week's ANS Editor,
Lee McLamb, KU4OS
ku4os at amsat dot org

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