
SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0422
* SpaceNews 22-Apr-96 *


BID: $SPC0422


			       =========
			       SpaceNews
			       =========


                         MONDAY APRIL 22, 1996


SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It
is published every week and is made available for non-commercial use.



* UPCOMING AO-13 ECLIPSE *
==========================
A partial eclipse of the Sun by the Moon will deprive OSCAR-13 of solar
power on 1996 May 17 [Fri] from 0030 to 0225 UTC, Orbit 6068, MA 151-195.
Maximum obscuration is 73% at 0135 UTC, MA 175.

This event will be visible (in the telemetry) from South Africa,
India, S.E.  Asia, and Australasia as a substantial drop in solar panel
temperatures, and reduced power production.  The transponders will be OFF.

                            MA  Dist   Rsun   Rmoon  Obsc.
Date          HHMM    ONO  /256  deg    deg    deg     %   Type
===================================================================
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0030   6068  151  0.505  0.264  0.251  0.260 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0035   6068  153  0.468  0.264  0.251  2.910 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0040   6068  155  0.431  0.264  0.251  6.899 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0045   6068  156  0.395  0.264  0.251 11.750 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0050   6068  158  0.359  0.264  0.251 17.248 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0055   6068  160  0.324  0.264  0.251 23.259 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0100   6068  162  0.288  0.264  0.251 29.690 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0105   6068  164  0.253  0.264  0.252 36.462 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0110   6068  166  0.218  0.264  0.252 43.492 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0115   6068  168  0.184  0.264  0.252 50.672 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0120   6068  169  0.151  0.264  0.252 57.822 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0125   6068  171  0.120  0.264  0.252 64.570 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0130   6068  173  0.096  0.264  0.252 70.136 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0135   6068  175  0.083  0.264  0.252 72.938 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0140   6068  177  0.091  0.264  0.253 71.418 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0145   6068  179  0.115  0.264  0.253 66.105 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0150   6068  181  0.149  0.264  0.253 58.618 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0155   6068  182  0.190  0.264  0.253 50.040 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0200   6068  184  0.234  0.264  0.253 40.935 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0205   6068  186  0.281  0.264  0.253 31.658 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0210   6068  188  0.332  0.264  0.253 22.520 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0215   6068  190  0.384  0.264  0.254 13.887 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0220   6068  192  0.440  0.264  0.254  6.296 PAR
1996 May 17 [Fri]  0225   6068  194  0.498  0.264  0.254  0.801 PAR
 
Dist is the Sun-Moon angular separation.  Rsun and Rmoon are the Sun and Moon
semi-diameters as seen from AO-13.  ONO = Orbit number.  Obsc.% = Percentage
Moon area obscured.  PAR = Partial eclipse.

The data represented above is also available in a graphical (15k GIF) format
via the Internet at the following address:

	ftp://ftp.amsat.org/amsat/satinfo/ao13/moonecl.zip

[Info via James Miller G3RUH @ GB7DDX.#22.GBR.EU]


* STS MISSION UPDATE *
====================== 
The Space Shuttle Endeavor is scheduled for launch on mission STS-77 on
16-May-96 at 1032 UTC.  STS-77 will not carry a SAREX package.  The next
mission carrying SAREX will not come until STS-78, currently scheduled for
liftoff on 20-Jun-96 at 1449 UTC.  STS-78 will carry Space Shuttle Columbia
into orbit for a 16 day microgravity mission.  SAREX communications will
include FM voice and packet radio (SAREX configuration `C').  The mission
that follows (STS-79) will also carry SAREX.  STS-79 will utilize Space
Shuttle Atlantis, and is scheduled for launch on 01-Aug-96 at 0342 UTC.
SAREX on this mission will be limited to FM voice contacts only.


* STSORBIT PLUS NEWS *
======================
David H. Ransom, Jr., the author of the popular STSORBIT PLUS satellite
tracking program for the PC, has announced the release of a new version
of his program.  Version 9615 correctly handles 2-line Keplerian orbital
data element files regardless of the line termination characters used.
It is available at David Cottle's Home Page, at:

  http://www.ozemail.com.au/~dcottle/files

The following files are available at this site:

  SOP9615A.ZIP   Main STSPLUS Program, Part 1 of 2
  SOP9615B.ZIP   Main STSPLUS Program, Part 2 of 2

  SOP9615U.ZIP   Update ONLY from STSPLUS Version 9610

  STSPLUS.NEW    Update Notes for Versions 9615, 9610, and 9607

Also available:

  EARTH3.ZIP     STSPLUS Level 3 Map Database Files (updated 1996)

[Info via David H. Ransom, Jr.]


* SpaceNews AVAILABILITY *
==========================
SpaceNews is available regularly on Usenet in the rec.radio.info,
rec.radio.amateur.misc, and sci.space.news newsgroups, and on packet
radio BBSs worldwide as well as the AMSAT-OSCAR-16 Pacsat satellite.
It can also be retrieved using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) at
pilot.njin.net (128.6.7.38) from the /pub/SpaceNews subdirectory.
You may also "finger magliaco@pilot.njin.net" for a copy of the
latest issue, or access it via the World Wide Web at the following
URL: http://www.cs.indiana.edu/finger/pilot.njin.net/magliaco/w.


* 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 @ KS4HR.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET  : kd2bd@amsat.org, magliaco@email.njin.net
SATELLITE : AMSAT-OSCAR-16, LUSAT-OSCAR-19


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/EX


