[jamsat-news:1842] ANS-257 AMSAT Weekly Bulletin

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE
ANS-257


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.

In this edition:
* NASA Names New Chief Scientist
* PCSAT Around the Clock
* Historic First Gathering Of Satellite Chief Executives
* Titan Carries Spy Satellite into Orbit
* Updated Antenna Will Help Out NASA During Busiest Of Times
* Satellites Tracking Could Greatly Facilitate Pay As You Go Driving
* NASA Selects Beryllium Mirror Tech For Next Gen Space Telescope
* Donna & Craig QRT at the National Weather Service
* ARISS School Contacts


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.01
NASA Names New Chief Scientist

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.01 From AMSAT HQ

SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.01

NASA's new chief scientist is John Grunsfeld, KC5ZTF, an astronomer and
astrophysicist who also worked on the Hubble Space Telescope during
two shuttle missions.

Grunsfeld replaces Shannon Lucid. A veteran astronaut and scientist,
she took the job in February 2002 and helped prioritize the scientific
goals of the International Space Station. She also updated NASA's
policy on research grants.

Lucid will return to Houston to work at Johnson Space Center.

[ANS thanks Florida Today for the above information.]


/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.02
PCSAT Around the Clock

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.02 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,

To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.02

Steve Diggs, W4EPI, reports that PCsat's telemetry counter is showing
counts OVER 800 meaning it has been alive for more that 12+ hours
without a reset.

Thus it appears she's working round-the clock. Enjoy!


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


/EX



SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.03
Historic First Gathering Of Satellite Chief Executives

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.03 From AMSAT HQ

SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.03

Chief executives from various satellite operators met in Paris on
September 8 to discuss the critical role satellites can play in meeting
the needs of the Information Society.
This first session of the two organising groups focussed on the
importance of building a clear understanding amongst governments and
stakeholders of how satellites can serve the broadband needs of
businesses, individuals and communities in developing and developed
nations.

Broadband objectives in different countries that call for universal
access to high-speed networks within the next five years can only be
met if satellites are a contributing technology, particularly for rural
communities and for developing countries.

The leading satellite operators discussed co-operation in advocacy and
governmental outreach in order to build positive national regulatory
environments that reduce barriers to the deployment of advanced
satellite communications systems. They also discussed national fees and
regulatory measures which, if excessive, could become an obstacle to
national and cross-border satellite service provision.

The CEOs underlined the need for the European Satellite Operators
Association (ESOA) and the Satellite Industry Association (SIA) to work
together on building improved awareness of how satellite
communications provide enormous public benefits. These include
facilitating commerce, advancing global security and providing
immediate and ubiquitous access to telecommunications infrastructure.

"For decades, satellites have been instrumental in achieving key public
policy goals, including connecting all nations with basic
telecommunications services and they also play a vital role in
providing global services in telemedicine and distance learning" said
Richard DalBello, President of the SIA.

The next meeting of the satellite operator CEOs has been set for Spring
2004 in Washington, DC. The satellite executives today expressed their
interest in having other Operators in the satellite communications
industry join them at the next meeting.


[ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.]


/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.04
Titan Carries Spy Satellite into Orbit

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.04 From AMSAT HQ

SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.04

A Titan rocket lifted off with a roar over the Space Coast earlier this
week, brilliantly illuminating a bank of low clouds as it soared with
a spy satellite toward orbit.

The rocket was carrying secret cargo for the National Reconnaissance
Office. The Air Force wouldn't release details about the spy satellite.
Separation of the satellite from the upper stage was to take place
several hours after launch.

After this launch, there are three Titan 4 rockets and one Titan 2 left
in Lockheed Martin's stable.

The rockets have carried mostly military satellites, but they also
launched the two Viking missions to Mars, the two Voyager missions to
the outer planets of our solar system, and the Cassini probe, which
will reach Saturn next year.

[ANS thanks Florida Today for the above information.]


/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.05
Updated Antenna Will Help Out NASA During Busiest Of Times

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.05 From AMSAT HQ

SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.05

With the help of friends down under, calling home is about to get
easier. With NASA-funded upgrades planned for this summer, the Parkes
Radio Telescope in Australia, celebrated by the movie "The Dish" for
its role in the first moonwalk, will once again help communicate with
spacecraft exploring the solar system.

Owned by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organization, the 64-meter (210-foot) antenna is located near the town
of Parkes, Australia. With upgrades to handle the current deep space
transmission standards, Parkes' will take on some of the workload of
NASA's Deep Space Network.

Managed by JPL, the Deep Space Network is the largest
telecommunications system in the world. With antennas in Spain,
Australia and California's Mojave Desert, the Deep Space Network is a
network of antennas that allow us to have two-way communications with
spacecraft at all times. JPL is overseeing the Parkes upgrades and
integrating Parkes into the Deep Space Network for several months of
operations.

Starting this coming November and peaking in January 2004, an
unprecedented fleet of spacecraft will require communications for
critical maneuvers. Among the potential users of the Parkes antenna are
NASA's Mars Odyssey, the Mars Global Surveyor, the two distant
Voyagers, the Stardust mission, the recently launched Space Infrared
Telescope Facility and the European Mars Express.

Although not part of the Deep Space Network, the Parkes antenna has
been used by NASA before to support the Apollo moon missions, the
Galileo spacecraft orbiting Jupiter, and both Voyager missions during
their grand tour of the solar system.

The major improvement is adding a microwave system that allows for
reception in the X-band frequency currently used by all JPL missions.
The X-band frequency has a larger spectrum that allows more data to be
transmitted. Better performance will also be achieved by extending the
antenna's solid paneling by 10 meters (about 33 feet).



[ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.]


/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.06
Satellites Tracking Could Greatly Facilitate Pay As You Go Driving

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.06 From AMSAT HQ

SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.06

Death and taxes may be unavoidable, but road tolls and car insurance
could be made fairer if satellite-assisted distance pricing is
implemented. The European Space Agency (ESA) is funding Irish provider
of location technology products Mapflow to undertake a feasibility
study to look into the possibility of implementing a pan-European road
tolling system.

The research aims to establish whether satellite technology can be used
to calculate the cost of motoring. A plan exists to complement this
activity with a real demonstration of the virtual tolling concept in
the greater area of Lisbon.

Potential benefits of a harmonised road tolling system would be fairer
implementation of charging on a 'pay for use' basis, lower costs as the
need for physical infrastructure is reduced and also reduced
congestion.

Germany recently received EU approval to implement a new tolling system
for goods vehicles. The system - currently being tested - uses the
US-operated Global Positioning System (GPS). The government hopes to
raise 650 million euros a year through the new charges.

Satellite-assisted tolling would make use of Galileo, Europe's planned
satellite navigation system. Galileo is a joint initiative between the
European Commission and ESA to develop a global navigation system,
scheduled to be operational by 2008.

[ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.]



/EX


SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.07
NASA Selects Beryllium Mirror Tech For Next Gen Space Telescope

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.07 From AMSAT HQ

SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.07

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Space Technology sector is the prime
contractor leading the design and development of the James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST). Following a thorough and detailed evaluation,
beryllium was selected as the material for the JWST primary mirror.

With the selection of beryllium as the technology for the James Webb
Space Telescope's (JWST) primary mirror, the team led by prime
contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation is on schedule for the
development of the nation's next generation space telescope.
The selection comes one year after the team was awarded a contract to
build JWST by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

Northrop Grumman made the selection following a detailed process that
took advantage of insights from a panel of experts representing the
contractor team, NASA and the science community. The team had selected
beryllium as the mirror technology for its original proposal.

Subsequently, the team tested the technology and performed a six-month
evaluation, during which the team reviewed the technology's
implementation plans, technical performance and manufacturing schedule.
Facilities, staffing and cost factors also were considered.

Mirror production will begin within the next few months. The mirrors
will be incorporated into optical assemblies, mounted onto the
telescope structure and then subjected to a series of tests at
cryogenic temperatures, individually and as an integrated system.


[ANS thanks Space Daily for the above information.]


/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.08

Donna & Craig QRT at the National Weather Service

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.08 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.08


Craig and Donna are gone.  The electronically assembled speech of the
two lasted just one year as the automated voices of the National
Weather Service.

Taking their place is next-generation called Tom.  He is programmed insuch a
way that the speed and intensity of his computer-generated
voice can be adjusted to make severe weather warnings sound more urgent
and emotional.

[ANS thanks Amateur Radio Newsline for the above information.]



/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-257.09
ARISS School Contacts

AMSAT News Service Bulletin 257.09 From AMSAT HQ

SILVER SPRING, MD.  September 14,
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-257.09

ARISS Contact Schedule and Successful school list updated 2003-09-11
01:00 UTC

So far this month Astronaut Ed Lu, KC5WKJ, successfully contacted
Webster High School	Webster, New York 2003-09-10
Cornell University	Ithaca, New York  2003-09-04
Boulder High School	Boulder, Colorado 2003-09-03

Next contact is scheduled for Punahou School, Honolulu, Hawaii
on Monday 2003-09-15 16:57 UTC via WH6PN.

Check out Ed Lu's webpage: http://www.edlu.com/

The latest ARISS announcement and successful school list is now
available on  the ARISS web site.  Several ways to get there.

Latest ARISS announcements and news
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt

Successful school list
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf



[ANS thanks Charlie Sufana, AJ9N, for the above information.]



/EX

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This week's ANS Editor:
Scott Lindsey-Stevens, N3ASA
n3asa@amsat.org


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