CASH@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu ('Crash' Cash) (06/28/90)
I saw the following interesting tidbit In the "Operations:Spaceflight"
section on page 11 of the 16-22 May issue of "Flight International"
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SHUTTLE AND MIR TO TALK
The seven-person crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia which will fly the
STS-35 ASTRO-1 mission, due for launch no earlier than 16 May on a
nine-day mission, will communicate directly for the first time with the
two-man crew of the Soviet Mir space station.
During the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975 communications before the
link-up were made via ground stations.
This will be the first time that US and Soviet spacemen have
established direct radio communications between spacecraft.
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I notice it doesn't mention who will be speaking what language.
Gene Cash (CASH@UCF1VM.BITNET or CASH@UCF1VM.CC.UCF.EDU)
Computer Science student, University of Central Florida
"My other spaceship is a Energia" - bumper sticker seen on a SOYUZwinter@Apple.COM (Patty Winter) (07/01/90)
In article <90178.215639CASH@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu> CASH@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu ('Crash' Cash) writes: >I saw the following interesting tidbit In the "Operations:Spaceflight" >section on page 11 of the 16-22 May issue of "Flight International" > - - - - - - - - - > SHUTTLE AND MIR TO TALK > The seven-person crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia which will fly the >STS-35 ASTRO-1 mission, due for launch no earlier than 16 May on a >nine-day mission, will communicate directly for the first time with the >two-man crew of the Soviet Mir space station. [rest deleted--pw] > - - - - - - - - - >I notice it doesn't mention who will be speaking what language. Just to flesh out the story: the contact will be made via amateur radio. The Mir cosmonauts have had ham equipment on board for--gee, must be a couple of years now. I had a contact with them just over a year ago. Ron Parise, one of the STS-35 crew members, is also a ham and is spear- heading this project. During his flight, he'll be making voice contacts with a number of schools throughout the U.S. (and some in other areas, too, I believe, but I only know the details on the stateside plans). In addition, he'll have a "packet radio" (digital communications) system with him. It will be automated so that hams can connect with it even when he's busy working. The Mir contact will just be frosting on the ham-radio cake. The bad news, of course, is that his flight has been delayed. NASA is hoping for a launch date of mid-August, but nothing definite has been set. Meanwhile, you can try listening for the Mir cosmonauts--although I'm told that the current crew isn't as active as some others have been. They generally use frequencies of 145.500 MHz and 145.550 MHz. (This is FM voice and can be heard on many scanners in addition to 2-meter ham radios.) (I populated areas, you may hear conversations from ham repeater stations on 145.490. Not much you can do about it except try to ignore it.) Last I heard, the most likely time for them to play radio was during their recreation period, which seemed to fall around 1700-2100Z. But I haven't listened for a long time, so I don't know whether that schedule is still accurate--or even, as I mentioned, whether they're doing much. As for language, unless some of our astronauts know Russian, I expect it will be in English. That's the de facto language of ham radio when two hams don't speak the same native language. (Actually, I've even heard it used when they *do*!) Patty -- ***************************************************************************** Patty Winter N6BIS INTERNET: winter@apple.com AMPR.ORG: [44.4.0.44] UUCP: {decwrl,nsc,sun}!apple!winter *****************************************************************************