
SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0905
* SpaceNews 05-Sep-94 *
 
 
BID: $SPC0905
 
 
                               =========
                               SpaceNews
                               =========
 
 
                        MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 1994
 
 
SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It is
published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution.
 
 
* SKY WATCH *
=============
In September's evening twilight, Saturn shines in the east-southeastern
sky just above the horizon.  By nightfall it is fairly high and bright, 
appearing as a golden point of light to the naked eye.  Because Saturn is 
closest to Earth this year, it will attain a magnitude of 0.5, located in 
the constellation of Aquarius.  Saturn may also be found by looking for 
the bright star of Formalhaut in the constellation of Piscis Austrinus 
which has a magnitude of +1.2.  A small telescope will reveal the complex 
system of orbiting rings and moons.  The largest moon, Titan, appears as 
an 8th magnitude point near the planet.  Also Saturn's rings are now only 
7 degrees from being edge on as seen from here on Earth.
 
Near the bright star, Spica, one can find Venus shining at a magnitude of
-4.4 when the month begins.  On the evening of September 8, Venus and the
young Moon will pass each other in the western evening sky. On the evening 
of September 20, Venus wil reach it's greatest brilliancy at a magnitude of
-4.6.  If Venus is seen through a telescope, it will be found to be in a
wanning crescent during it's brightest, showing us here on Earth, only half
of it's brilliancy.
 
Jupiter is finally getting a rest after the tremendous impacts it suffered
in July from the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.  But Jupiter is still
the second brightest planet after Venus, shining at a magnitude of -1.8 and
can still be seen in the constellation of Libra.  On September 1, Jupiter 
can be found about 15 degrees to the upper left of Venus and as the month 
passes, Jupiter will slide toward Venus in the western twilight sky.  On 
September 9, Jupiter will be near the young crescent Moon.  Watch for 
Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon on the evening of September 8 as the three 
approach each other.  This will be a fine view for the astrophotographers 
who specialize in planet combinations.
 
Mercury can be found in the evening sky this month, but will remain very
close to the horizon.  Because Mercury will be so close to the horizon, it
will probably be hidden from view this month.
 
Pluto can be found in the constellation of Libra and is in the southwestern
sky just after sunset.  But it shines at a magnitude of +13.8, so it will
take a telescope of at least 8 inches to see the tiny point of light in the
dark sky.
 
Uranus and Neptune, magnitudes 5.7 and 7.9, lie in the south after sunset
during September in the rich starfields of Sagittarius.
 
Mars is the only planet that will rise a couple hours before dawn this
month, in the eastern sky.  On September 1 the wanning crescent Moon will 
be just below Mars.
 
[Info via Dave, N9JUW]
 
 
* WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18 NEWS *
==========================
WEBER-1>CAST <UI>:
27-Aug-94
 
*Collecting and Sending WOD
 Week2: All TLM Ch# 3C 3D 3E 3F 40 41
*New Images
*Monday, New Spectrum
 
73, IK3WVJ
 
 
WEBER>SPECT <UI>:
Spectrum #00 taken 20:55:36 28-Aug-94
arrays: +X:321340 +Y:0 -X:15400 -Y:0 +Z:2790 -Z:0 (uA)
sun angle: el 1 az 90
horizon sensors: 1:190 2:223 s:84
temp:-1.65 to -2.24 C
average = 202.03  stddev = 572.54  pkdev = 519.18
40000...417FF .........
 
 
* MIR NEWS * 
============
The Mir space station apparently suffered no hits from the recent Perseid
meteor shower.  Several particles collided with the space station during
last year's meteor shower.
 
The PROGRESS-M24 freighter was scheduled for launch Baykonur on 25-Aug-94
at 1425 UTC.  Listeners in Western Europe were alerted listen for 
transmissions related to this launch on the known frequencies (166.140, 
166.130, 165.874 and 922.755 MHz  +/- Doppler) 3 hours after liftoff.
 
Instead of 4, only 2 EVAs will be made by Malenchenko and Musabayev.  These 
EVAs are scheduled for the 8th and 12th of September 1994.  Their purpose
is to transfer solar panels from the Kristall to the Kvant-1 module.
 
The launch of Specktr (Module-O) has been delayed once again.  Now there is 
word that the launch will take place in May 1995.  Undoubtedly, this will 
also mean that the launch of Priroda (Module-E) will be put back too. 
 
The schedule for American flights to Mir might need to be changed due to 
Spektr launch delay.  No further details are available as of yet.
 
[Info via Chris v.d. Berg, NL-9165/A-UK3202]
 
 
* MORE MIR NEWS *
=================
Ascending nodes of Mir are currently taking place almost directly under
the Sun.  It is crossing the terminator close to its extreme northern and 
southern latitude excursions.  As a result, Mir will be visible shortly 
before sunrise in the southern hemisphere, and shortly after sunset in the 
northern hemisphere for the next few weeks.  Consult your favorite 
satellite orbital prediction software for the exact times for your 
location.
 
 
* SAREX NEWS *
==============
The STS-64 Space Shuttle Discovery Mission, tentatively scheduled for launch 
on September 9 at 20:30 UTC, will carry SAREX voice and packet radio on a 
9 day mission.  STS-64 will carry the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment 
(LITE-1), the SPARTAN-201, and the Robot Operated Materials Processing 
System (ROMPS) experiment in addition to SAREX into a 57 degree inclination 
orbit.
 
Amateur Radio operators on Discovery include Dick Richards, KB5SIW, 
Commander, Blaine Hammond, KC5HBS, Pilot, and Jerry Linenger, KC5HBR, 
Mission Specialist.  Primary callsign for FM voice contacts will be KB5SIW, 
while W5RRR-1 will be used for packet radio contacts.  All operations will 
utilize separate uplink and downlink frequencies.  DO NOT TRANSMIT on the 
downlink frequency!
 
Voice Freqs:    Downlink:       145.55 MHz  (Worldwide)
                Uplinks:        144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97, 144.99 MHz 
                                (Except Europe)
                                144.70, 144.75, 144.80 MHz (Europe only)
 
                Note:  the crew will not favor any specific uplink 
                frequency, so your ability to work the crew will        
                be the "luck of the draw"
 
Packet Freqs:   Downlink:       145.55 MHz
                Uplink:         144.49 MHz
 
The Goddard Amateur Radio Club station, WA3NAN, in Greenbelt Maryland will
be active and carry SAREX Bulletins and Shuttle Retransmissions on 3860 KHz, 
7185 KHz, 14,295 KHz, 21,395 KHz, 28,650 KHz and 147.450 MHz (FM).
 
The following Keplerian elements have been rotated to the current planned 
launch time of Sep 9 at 20:30 UTC.  The JSC-005 epoch is at the start of 
orbit 5, after the trim burns on orbits 3 and 4.  The negative drag fit was 
required to match the design trajectory because there is a 6.5 fps trim burn 
on orbit 28.  The phasing and circ burns on orbit 99 lower the altitude by 
about 8 n.mi, so the second element set JSC-006 is required after that.  
These Keps are provided by Gil Carman, WA5NOM at the Johnson Space Center 
ARC.
 
STS-64
1 00064U          94253.10077961 -.00030838  00000-0 -39665-4 0    59
2 00064  57.0058 195.1865 0009670 275.6619  84.3358 16.05979206    51
 
Note:  This element set (JSC-005) is valid for orbits 2 through 98.
       Use JSC-006 (below) after 15 Sep 94, 22:51:30 UTC (MET 6/03:49:30).
 
STS-64
1 00064U          94259.01448182  .00096406  00000-0  94275-4 0    62
2 00064  57.0059 167.2656 0009343 269.2157  90.7841 16.11240267  1002
 
Note:  This element set (JSC-006) is valid for orbits 99 through 142.
       Use JSC-005 (above) before 15 Sep 94, 22:51:30 UTC (MET 6/03:49:30).
       The deorbit burn is scheduled for 18 Sep at 15:40 UTC (MET 8/20:38).
       
[Info via Frank Bauer, KA3HDO]
 
 
* THANKS! *
===========
Thanks to all those who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews,
especially:
 
          WB3CSY         WB4MLE          WB5PUM         ZS5FR
 
...and Mike Conley, AA6AE, who posts SpaceNews in the science classroom 
at Huntington Park High School in California, where they are building an 
amateur satellite ground station.
 
 
* FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED *
===========================
Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any
of the following paths:
 
FAX       : 1-908-747-7107
PACKET    : KD2BD @ N2KZH.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET  : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com -or- kd2bd@amsat.org
SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16 
 
MAIL      : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD
            Department of Engineering and Technology
            Advanced Technology Center
            Brookdale Community College
            Lincroft, New Jersey  07738
            U.S.A.
 
 
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/EX
