kd2bd@ka2qhd.UUCP (John Magliacane) (11/11/90)
SB SPACE @ ALLBBS < KD2BD $SPC1112
* SpaceNews 12-Nov-90 *
Bulletin ID: $SPC1112
=========
SpaceNews
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MONDAY NOVEMBER 12, 1990
SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, United States.
It is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution.
* ARIANE LAUNCH *
=================
An Ariane launch on 20-Nov-90 will carry two spacecraft manufactured by
GE Astro Space in New Jersey. The two satellites are Satcom C1 for GE
American Communications and Gstar 4 for GTE Spacenet. Final launch
preparations are taking place. The launch window will extend from 6:15
to 9:30 PM EST.
* PACSATs ON-LINE *
===================
The Packet Bulletin Board software which has been running in 'beta test'
versions on UoSAT-OSCAR-14 since July has now been loaded to AO-16. This
follows a period of intense development by Jeff Ward, G0/K8KA, and Harold
Price, NK6K, getting software ready for hundreds of users expected to access
AO-16 and UO-14.
The programs loaded to the satellites, when combined with several ground
station client programs, implement the PACSAT communications protocols
proposed by Jeff and Harold in papers presented at the recent ARRL Amateur
Radio Computer Networking Conference. The protocols provide a connected-mode
file transfer facility called FTL0 and a standard broadcast mode for bulletins
and other items of general interest.
When someone is up or downloading in connected mode you will see packets from
the FTL0 server callsign: PACSAT-0 (on AO-16) or UOSAT3-12 (on UO-14).
Bulletins being broadcast will have source callsigns UOSAT3-11 or PACSAT-11.
These packets may contain some ASCII text, although each will begin with a
short binary header.
The PACSAT protocol suite requires special groundstation software to interpret
binary headers and implement protocol handshakes. Papers in the 9th ARRL
Networking Conference proceedings describe the protocols in detail. Software
for ground stations with IBM-PC type computers will be made available free by
UoS through dial-up bulletin boards and on-line information systems.
The release of the ground station software, expected around 8 or 9 November,
will mark the official opening of UO-14 and AO-16 for communications by any
suitably-equipped, licensed radio amateur. With LO-19 following shortly and
FO-20 already providing service, the Amateur Satellite Service will soon have
a useful and interesting network of store-and-forward satellites.
* SALYUT-7 NEWS *
=================
The presently unused and long abandoned Soviet space station 'Salyut-7' is
tumbling uncontrollably and is predicted to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere
in mid-January. Attempts to boost the 60 metric ton structure to a higher
orbit have failed. Salyut-7 should produce quite a spectacular light show
if it re-enters the atmosphere away from sunlight.
Here is element set 630 for Salyut-7 as released by NASA on 08-Nov-90:
Epoch : 90 310.56350817
Incli : 51.5998
RAAN : 295.9675
Eccn : 3.895E-04
ArgPer : 71.5486
MeanAn : 288.6002
MeanMo : 15.81020057
Decay : 8.7992E-04
Orbit # : 48723
* RS-14/RUDAK-2 NEWS *
======================
Reliable sources within the Soviet Union indicate that the launch of RS-14/
RUDAK-2 is now expected to happen on or about November 24, 1990. UA3CR
requests the help of radio amateurs all over the world to collect telemetry
and send it via packet radio or via a SSB net to him. The first day's worth
of telemetry will transmitted via a CW beacon at 20 WPM on 145.822 or on
145.948 MHz SSB and will be vitally important to ground controllers. Later,
after ALL systems are working properly on the RUDAK-2 transponder,
PSK/BBS/MODE B operations will begin.
* TNX QSL! *
============
A special thanks to all those who sent QSLs, cards and letters to SpaceNews:
DJ9PE : Bernd Beckmann, Munchen, Germany
K2URZ : Dan Tannenbaum, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, U.S.A.
NM1K : Rusty Hack, Enfield, Connecticut, U.S.A.
N3IKS : John F. Gibson III, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
N4SDW : Chuck Mulligan, Tequesta, Florida, U.S.A.
WB1CKI: Gordon Young, Enfield, Connecticut, U.S.A.
ZL1PK : Phil King, Hamilton, New Zealand
...and e-mail messages:
VE3EAR, KB5HPN, KB6BBZ, KB8FRW, KE8BG, WB9JEJ
* FEEDBACK WELCOMED *
=====================
Feedback regarding SpaceNews can be directed to the editor (John) via any
of the following paths:
UUCP : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com
AMPR : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
MAIL : John A. Magliacane
Department of Electronics Technology
Advanced Technology Center
Brookdale Community College
765 Newman Springs Road
Lincroft, New Jersey 07738
U.S.A.
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/EX
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John A. Magliacane FAX : (908) 747-7107
Electronics Technology Department AMPR : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
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