
SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-160.01
MORE ABOUT ARIANE 5 LAUNCH FAILURE

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 160.01 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 8, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-160.01

On June 5, the European Space Agency and CNES, the 
French Space Agency, sent the following joint news 
release to the public concerning  the failure on launch 
of Ariane 501:

N  20-96 - Paris, 5 June 1996
ESA/CNES JOINT PRESS RELEASE
FLIGHT 501 FAILURE - FIRST INFORMATION

The first Ariane-5 launch took place on Tuesday, 4 June
1996, from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's Spaceport, at
Kourou in French Guiana.  The launcher was carrying the
European Space Agency's four Cluster satellites, a science
mission to study Earth-Sun interactions.

Following nominal ignition of the Vulcain engine (H0) at
09.33.59 hours Kourou time, i.e. 12.33.59 hours GMT or
14.33.59 hours Paris time, the flight proceeded as follows:

* H0 + 7.5 s :
Ignition of solid booster stages and normal lift-off.

* Up to H0 + 37 s :
Flight guidance and trajectory normal.  At this moment the
velocity of the launcher was Mach 0.7 (857 kph) and its
altitude 3500 m.

* H0 + 37 s to H0 + 39 s :
Sudden swiveling of both solid booster nozzles up to the
limit, recorded by telemetry. This caused the launcher to tilt 
sharply, giving rise to intense aerodynamic loads on the 
launcher structure resulting in breakage. Following loss of 
launcher integrity, destruction of all launcher elements by 
the onboard neutralization system.

Preliminary analysis of the telemetry data confirms that the
propulsion stages (solid boosters and cryogenic main stage)
functioned correctly.  The direction of inquiry is tending
towards the launcher's "electrical and software system".

An independent inquiry board is being set up by ESA and
CNES to determine the causes of the failure and propose
corrective action.  It will be asked to report by 15 July.
ESA, the European Space Agency, has delegated management of its Ariane-5
program to the French space agency, CNES.

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-160.02
AO-13 TO BE OPTIMAL FOR FIELD DAY

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 160.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 8, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-160.02

Due to constraints of seasonal variation in solar angle, AO-13 was
scheduled to be reoriented on June 17th, prior to this year's Field Day,
to an ALON/ALAT of 220/0.  The associated much less favorable squint angle
would have necessitated the predominant use of the omni antenna.  

This would obviously have been sub-optimal for AO-13's final Field Day
appearance. However, circumstances, for once, have conspired in our favor.
 The small amount of drag that AO-13 currently experiences at perigee is
acting on the spinning satellite to translate the ALAT slowly upward. 
Coupled with normal changes of precession, the "undisturbed" orientation
on Field Day will be ALON/ALAT 187/13.  

At this orientation, the absolute solar angle is lower (more favorable)
than at an orientation of 180/0, and AO-13 can stay in its current
configuration for approximately 10 days longer than originally planned.
Therefore, the orientation, antenna schedule and transponder schedule for
AO-13 will remain "as is" for the 1996 Field Day.  Current plans call for
reorientation to 220/0 on approximately June 27th.  The process takes
several days and, therefore, will commence a few days before that time,
with schedule changes activated after the position has been stabilized.

Users are encouraged to enjoy what could be the final optimum attitude and
schedule of this fine satellite. Reorientation to 180/0 in September is
likely to be transient at best, with considerable torquing of ALAT around
perigee.

[ANS thanks Stacey E. (Chuck) Mills, WB4QKT, for this field day update.]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-160.03
DOVE RUNNING AGAIN ON 2 METERS

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 160.03 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 8, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-160.03

Over the past few days the DOVE command team received several reports 
that the DOVE (DO-17) was no longer being heard on 2 meters.  

On June 7 at about 04:20 UTC they reset the processor and re-executed the 
code that had been running.  The satellite responded positively and is 
now again transmitting occasional MBL telemetry on 2 meters at 145.825
MHz.  

They also sent the commands to turn on the S-band transmitter but have not
been able to positively confirm that it is on.  Any reports of S-band
reception would be appreciated.  Please send reports to "wd0e@amsat.org".

Work continues by the command and development team to find the cause of
the hardware problem that is preventing the standard MICROSAT software
package from running properly.

[ANS thanks Jim White, WD0E, for this information on Dove.]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-160.04
JAS-2 SET TO FLY

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 160.04 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 8, 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-160.04

The launch of JAS-2 is now planned for mid-August 1996.
The exact launch date isn't fixed, but the time may be 
1:30 to 1:55 UTC, due to the orbital requirements of the 
ADEOS earth observation satellite that is the main payload 
of the vehicle (4th launch of H-2 rocket).

Here is the proposed launch sequence (in seconds):

L -6           1st stage engine(LE-7) ignition
L              two solid rocket booster(SRB)s ignition and liftoff
L+92.6         finish firing of two SRBs
L+100.6        SRBs separation
L+230.000      fairing separation
L+345.431      commanding of quit firing 1st stage engine
L+355.431      separation of 1st stage engine
L+361.431      ignition of 2nd stage engine
L+896.806      suspending of firing 2nd stage engine
L+947.000      main payload ADEOS separation
?              re-ignition of 2nd stage engine
L+2273.000     JAS-2 separation

At the moment of JAS-2 separation, JAS-2 will be activated and CW
telemetry will be transmitted on 435.795 MHz.

[ANS thanks Kazu Sakamoto, JJ1WTK, for this bulletin.]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-160.05
WEEKLY SATELLITE STATUS

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 160.05 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 8 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-160.05

NASA has firmed up the date for the next Space Shuttle Mission, STS-78.
Liftoff of the Space Shuttle Columbia is now planned for 14:49 UTC on June
20.  The primary goal of this long duration (16 day) mission is to conduct
microgravity research using the Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS)
payload.  

STS-78 will also carry the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX). 
SAREX provides school groups and ham radio operators an opportunity to
talk directly with Space Shuttle Astronauts as they circle the Earth. 
SAREX will be flown in Configuration C on this mission; 2 meter voice and
packet. Three of the seven crew members are licensed radio amateurs: 
Payload Commander Susan Helms, KC7NHZ who is making her third Shuttle
flight,
Mission Specialist Chuck Brady, Jr., N4BQW and Canadian Payload Specialist
Robert Thirsk, VA3CSA.  Brady and Thirsk are both making their first
flight.  

During the flight, the shuttle astronauts have scheduled contacts with 11
schools from around the world.

A detailed fact sheet for SAREX on the STS-78 mission follows:


         STS-78 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX)
                      Information Sheet

Mission:	STS-78 Space Shuttle Columbia
		Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS) 			                payload

Launch:	        June 20, 1996 at 1449 UTC

Landing:	July 6, 1996 at 1246 UTC at the Kennedy             	            
	Space Center

Orbit:		39 degree inclination

Crew:  

CDR  Col. Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, Commander
PLT  Kevin R. Kregel, Pilot
MS1  Lt. Col. Susan J. Helms, Payload Commander, Flight Engineer, KC7NHZ
MS2  Richard M. Linnehan, DVM, Mission Specialist
MS3  Dr. Charles E. Brady, Jr., Mission Specialist, N4BQW
PS1  Dr. Jean-Jacques Favier, Payload Specialist
PS2  Dr. Robert (Bob) Brent Thirsk, Payload Specialist, VA3CSA

Modes:     	 FM Voice
                 Callsigns: KC7NHZ, N4BQW, VA3CSA

                 Packet Radio
                 Callsign:  W5RRR-1

Frequencies: All operations in split mode.  Do not transmit on the
downlink frequency.

The following frequencies are used for two-way voice communications with
the Shuttle astronauts.  Please note that THESE HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE
LAST MISSION.

Downlink:             145.55 MHz      Worldwide

Voice Uplinks:        144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97, 144.99 MHz  
                      (Except Europe)
                      144.70, 144.75, 144.80 (Europe Only)

Packet Uplink:        144.49 MHz      Worldwide

Note: The crew will not favor any specific uplink frequency, so your
ability to communicate with SAREX will be the "luck of the draw."

For all operations, Earth stations should listen to the downlink frequency
and transmit only when the Shuttle is in range and the astronauts are on
the air.


Info:	Goddard Amateur Radio Club, WA3NAN, Greenbelt Maryland, 
	SAREX Bulletins and Shuttle Retransmissions
	3860 KHz, 7185 KHz, 14,295 KHz, 21,395 KHz, 28,650 KHz  
	and 147.45  MHz (FM)

	ARRL Amateur Radio Station, W1AW, Newington, CT,
	SAREX News Bulletins
	3990, 7290, 14,290, 18,160, 21,390, and 28,590 KHz
	and 147.555 MHz (FM)
	
	NASA Spacelink computer information system, 	
Phone: (205) 895-0028 or via Internet: spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov, 
	ARRL BBS (203) 666-0578
	JSC ARC BBS (713) 244-5625, 9600 baud or less.
	GSFC ARC BBS on internet:  wa3nan.gsfc.nasa.gov

WWW Home Pages:		
SAREX:  	http://www.nasa.gov/sarex/sarex_mainpage.html
ARRL:		http://www.arrl.org/
AMSAT:	        http://www.amsat.org
Spacelink:      http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
Shuttle:        http://shuttle.nasa.gov
Goddard ARC:    http://garc.gsfc.nasa.gov/www/garc-home-page.html


School Group Participation: 	

The following schools will participate in SAREX with pre-scheduled direct
contacts: 	
Bethlehem Central Sr. High School, Delmar, NY; Eisenhower Middle School,
San Antonio, TX; Heritage Middle School, Colleyville, TX; Anacortes Middle
School, Anacortes, WA; Valley Heights Jr-Sr High School, Blue Rapids, KS;
Monroe Elementary School, Santa Barbara, CA; Maple Grove Education Centre,
Hebron, Nova Scotia, Canada; Saskatoon Public AreospaCe Education
(S.P.A.C.E.), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; Toowoomba State High
School,
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia; Catholic Ladies College, Eltham,
Victoria, Australia;  CENG - Nuclear Center of Grenoble, Grenoble, France


Keplerian Elements:	

STS-78
1 99978U 96172.67461119  .00151561  00000-0  28023-3 0   103
2 99978  39.0091   9.5805 0010198 336.2868  23.7631 15.98430480    24

Satellite: STS-78
Catalog number: 99978
Epoch time:      96172.67461119    =    (20-Jun-96   16:11:26.40 UTC)
Element set:     010
Inclination:       39.0091 deg
RA of node:         9.5805 deg            Space Shuttle Flight STS-78
Eccentricity:     .0010198               Prelaunch element set JSC-010
Arg of perigee:   336.2868 deg          Launch:  20-Jun-96 14:49:00 UTC
Mean anomaly:      23.7631 deg
Mean motion:   15.98430480 rev/day                Gil Carman
Decay rate:    1.51561e-03 rev/day^2       NASA Johnson Space Center
Epoch rev:               2
Checksum:              314


QSL Cards: 

Send reports and QSLs to ARRL EAD, STS-78 QSL, 225 Main Street, Newington,
CT 06111-1494, USA. Include the following information in your QSL or
report: STS-78, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode. In addition, you
must also include a SASE using a large, business-sized envelope if you
wish to receive a card. "The Net" in Anacortes, Washington has generously
volunteered to manage the cards for this mission.

[ANS thanks Frank H, Bauer, KA3HDO AMSAT V.P. for Manned Space Programs,
for this SAREX bulletin.]

/EX

SB SAT @ AMSAT  $ANS-160.0
WEEKLY SATELLITE STATUS

HR AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 160.06 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, JUNE 8 1996
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS BT
BID: $ANS-160.06

RS-12: 
Operating normally.

RS-10: 
Operating normally.

AO-27:
Operating normally.  
Also, as of 05/27/96 at 17:00 UTC, AO-27's Transmitter
schedule is as follows:

20 Minutes after entering the sun, the Transmitter turns on Normal Power
18 Minutes after Turn on it shuts off. (38 Minutes after Entering the
sun)

To clear up any misunderstanding, the Amateur Transmitter on board
EYESAT-1 (known as AO-27) CAN and DOES from time to time run off 
batteries.  The reason for an 18 minute window over latitudes equal to
most of the US. is a limited power budget for the Amateur payload. All are
reminded that EYESAT-1 is owned by (and runs experiments for)
INTERFEROMETRICS, INC. in Chantilly, Va.  There is not enough power left
over to run the Amateur Radio transmitter full time.

AO-10:
Activity was recently heard on AO-10 while it was over the Indian Ocean.
The following stations were heard:

D68ZJ, Jean-Pierre, in Moroni, Comoros Islands, off the NW tip of
Madagascar.  His QSL address is PO BOX 85, Moroni, Comoros Islands, 
Indian Ocean.

4S7AVR, Noel, in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  He has an excellent signal.  QSL
direct as per the current International Callbook.  Grid locator MJ96SN.

Also FO3PJ, Yees, in French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean).  His QSL details
are PO BOX 439 Raiatea, French Polynesia

AO-13:  
Operating normally.

WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18:
Initial operating software was reloaded to WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18, and as of
01:59:06 UTC on Saturday 25-May-96, the satellite was transmitting
telemetry and spacecraft status information, and reporting an uptime of
one day, five hours, 48 minutes, and 41 seconds.

Bob Argyle, KB7KCL is asking that anyone who captured telemetry from
WEBERSAT-OSCAR-18 on 21-May-96 between 19:28:31 and 20:29:34 UTC please
send it to him either via AO-16, unencode and e-mail at
(rargyle@cc.weber.edu), or anonymous FTP upload to 137.190.32.131.  He is
especially interested in any telemetry gathered over Africa.

Bob also reports that when WEBERSAT is successfully reloaded, it will be
sending several new telemetry frames: WHO-18 was copied in New Jersey
during a pass between 15:40 and 15:50 UTC on 01-Jun-96.  The satellite
was
transmitting AX.25 flags, but no data. The downlink signal strength
appeared to be normal

[Please send your Satellite reports to bjarts@uslink.net or to
wt0n@amsat.org]

/EX
