[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[jamsat-news:1160] * SpaceNews 11-Oct-99 *
SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC1011
* SpaceNews 11-Oct-99 *
BID: $SPC1011
=========
SpaceNews
=========
MONDAY OCTOBER 11, 1999
* PHASE 3D LAUNCH ANNOUNCEMENT *
================================
MARBURG, GERMANY (October 8, 1999) AMSAT's most ambitious project to
date... the International Phase 3-D communications satellite... has
now been accepted for launch aboard an Arianespace Ariane 5 launch
vehicle.
Dr. Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, AMSAT-Germany's President and Phase 3-D Project
Leader released the following statement:
"As the primary agency responsible for securing a launch opportunity
for Phase 3-D, I am pleased to announce that AMSAT-Germany and
Arianespace have now come to an agreement calling for the launch
of P3-D as a secondary payload aboard the 'first suitable' Ariane 5
flight."
Dr. Meinzer went on to comment that, "From the very beginning of the
Phase 3-D project, we considered the Ariane 5 series our primary launch
vehicle. Our long history of success and mutual cooperation with both
the European Space Agency (ESA) and Arianespace, coupled with our need
to lift P3-D into a high geostationary transfer orbit, made the Ariane 5
the unanimous choice by AMSAT."
Following standard protocol, specific details of the launch agreement
were not released.
AMSAT-NA President Keith Baker, KB1SF, was elated with the latest
news. "I'm very pleased to see that AMSAT-DL's negotiations with
Arianespace have resulted in a launch contract for Phase 3-D, and I'm
delighted we are again slated to fly on an Ariane vehicle," he said.
"Following the resounding success of Ariane flight 503, the Ariane 5
has now proven itself to be a very capable launcher. When coupled
with our many past successes with ESA and Ariane, I believe we now
have an unbeatable combination. Once it is in orbit, the Phase 3-D
satellite will not only help us usher in the new Millennium, it will
also signal the dawn of a brand new era for Amateur Radio," he concluded.
While both AMSAT presidents expressed optimism for an early launch
of the satellite, Dr. Meinzer expressed caution that the wait for the
"first suitable" flight could still turn out to be a long one. "While
the launch of Phase 3-D could come as early as the first half of the
year 2000, we must remember that Ariane's launch manifests are continually
being updated to accommodate market changes as well as the availability
of other payloads. Thus, one or more changes to P3-D's anticipated
launch date, along with its specific Ariane 5 mission number, are a
very real possibility before our satellite actually flies," he said.
Nevertheless, based on its new 'standby' launch status, Phase 3-D is
slated to be delivered to the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French
Guiana later this month so as to be ready for quick integration once
Arianespace identifies a specific Ariane 5 launch vehicle for P3-D's
ride to orbit.
While its primary focus is on improved worldwide satellite communications,
the Phase 3-D satellite will also have a very positive influence on the
very future of Amateur Radio. Built primarily from donated resources,
the International Phase 3-D team includes participating AMSAT groups from
Austria, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, Finland, Russia, Belgium, the
Czech Republic, Slovenia, France, New Zealand and Hungary - in addition
to the groups from AMSAT-Germany and AMSAT-North America.
AMSAT is very proud of its long tradition of excellence and the
contributions it has made to the advancement of space communications,
space education and the space sciences. Phase 3-D will be Amateur
Radio's premier vehicle to continue the quest for new communications
technologies for generations yet unborn.
Pictures of the official Phase 3-D launch contract are available via
the Internet at: http://www.amsat-dl.org/
[Info via the AMSAT-NA News Service / Dan James, NN0DJ]
* ITAMSAT-OSCAR-26 NEWS *
=========================
ITAMSAT-OSCAR-26 has been opened for APRS use. Last week after successful
ending of the onboard checkout, ITAMSAT ground controllers switched ON the
satellite's digipeater function. Immediately many stations over Europe
started to use IO-26 to repeat back their UI frames and to make APRS tests.
Enjoy!
Alberto E. Zagni - I2KBD
ITAMSAT Mission Director
* KITSAT-OSCAR-23 NEWS *
========================
The KO-23 satellite command station reports that KITSAT-OSCAR-23's
transmitter 0 was shutdown on 02-Oct-99 due to an on-board power shortage.
On board file storage is safe, however. This was an anticipated event as
KO-23 is now approaching its maximum eclipse period orbit which contains
about 35 minutes of darkness. As a result, controllers decided turn off
the transmitter until 13-Oct99. Controllers expect the file system will
still be alive by that time. The next maximum eclipse period will occur
around 03-Dec-99.
[Info via Hyungshin Kim]
* FX0STB QSL CARD NEWS *
========================
The logbook of all QSL cards received at AMSAT-France for FX0STB / R0MIR
can be viewed at the following URL: http://www.citeweb.net/f4rtp/Logbook/
This list will be regularly updated when AMSAT-France receives new requests
for FX0STB QSLs.
The QSL mailing address is as follows:
AMSAT-France
14 bis, rue des Gourlis
F-92500 RUEIL-MALMAISON
FRANCE
[Info via F4RTP]
* SUNSAT SCHEDULE *
===================
The following is the latest SUNSAT single channel FM transponder operating
schedule. All times are given in UTC. SUNSAT's uplink is on 436.291 MHz,
plus and minus 9 kHz Doppler shift. The downlink may be received on
145.825 MHz.
9 October
Africa 09:16 - 09:32
USA 16:15 - 16:30
USA 17:50 - 18:10
USA 19:34 - 19:48
10 October
Australia 01:56 - 02:12
Africa 10:16 - 10:34
Europe 10:38 - 10:52
USA 17:11 - 17:30
The three successive passes over the USA on 9 October are to coincide
with the AMSAT NA Space Symposium in California on 9 October.
16 October
Phillipines, China, Taiwan, Japan 01:37 to 01:49
Africa 09:36 to 09:51
Europe 09:58 to 09:13
South America 14:36 to 14:56
17 October
Indonesia, China, Japan 02:30 to 02:45
Africa 08:57 to 09:12
Europe 09:19 to 09:33
South America 14:03 to 14:18
23 October
India, Indonesia, Russia, Pakistan 05:09 to 05:24
Continuous over Africa to Europe 10:00 to 10:29
South America 14:54 to 15:12
24 October
Eastern Australia 00:54 to 01:09
Africa to Europe 09:16 to 09:48
USA 16:14 to 16:29
30 October
Australia 01:55 to 01:14
Africa and Europe 08:37 to 09:07
South America and East USA 15:32 to 15:47
31 October
Australia 02:55 to 03:10
Africa and Europe 09:35 to 10:08
South America 16:30 to 16:47
6 November
Australia 02:16 to 02:34
Africa to Europe 08:54 to 09:26
South America 13:52 to 14:12
7 November
Indonesia and Japan 01:52 to 02:06
Africa to Europe 09:55 to 10:25
Western USA 16:50 to 17:06
[Info via Hans van de Groenendaal]
* SUNSAT OPERATING AWARD *
==========================
SA AMSAT has introduced a SUNSAT Operating Award to reward stations
for the number of contacts they have made with individual stations.
There are three categories: Bronze for 25 contacts, Silver for 50
contacts, and Gold for 100 contacts. The objective is to work as many
different callsigns as possible with the restriction that only one
contact per pass may be claimed for the Award. No duplicate contacts
are allowed. A station qualifies only once.
To claim the award applicants must submit a copy of their log, verified
by the chairman of a local Radio Club or two Amateurs to SA AMSAT, P.O.
Box 1842, Hillcrest 3650 South Africa. There will be additional surprises
for the first 3 successful applications.
Short-wave Listeners may also apply for the award. Their logs must
include the callsigns of both the stations monitored.
The cost of the award is $5 or 5 IRCs to cover postage.
[Info via Hans van de Groenendaal]
* 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 @ N2SMV.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net
SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, KITSAT-OSCAR-25
<<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>>
<<=- Serving the planet (and beyond) since 1987 -=>>
/EX
--
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- John A. Magliacane, KD2BD -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Internet : kd2bd@amsat.org | Voice : +1.732.224.2948
Satellite : AO-16, KO-25 | Morse : -.- -.. ..--- -... -..
Packet : KD2BD @ N2SMV.NJ.USA.NA | WWW : http://www.njin.net/~magliaco/
Video : 426.250 MHz/439.250 MHz | FAX : +1.732.224.2060
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Linux Doesn't Cost. It Pays. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
----
Via the ans mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe ans" to Majordomo@amsat.org