karn@petrus.UUCP (12/23/84)
**** UoSAT Bulletin-105 (Edited) 21st December 1984 ****
UoSAT Spacecraft Control Centre, University of Surrey, England
** GENERAL NEWS **
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XXX SEASONS GREETINGS FROM XX
XXXX THE UOSAT SPACECRAFT TEAM XX
XXXXX Martin,Nev,Mac,Keith,Bob XXXX
XXXXXX Roger,Tim,Paul,Lui,StephenXXXX
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H A P P Y C H R I S T M A S & N E W Y E A R
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* 1984 *
Thanks for all those who sent Xmas cards, it is nice to know
you think of us! 1984 has been a hectic but rewarding year for
all at UoS - having overcome the teething problems following
the launch of UoSAT-OSCAR-11 in March, we have been most
pleased with the spacecraft's performance. The gravity
gradient stabilisation has operated extremely well (provided we
do not 'kick' it too hard!) and a great deal of work is under
way on the various experiments.
The DCE has been in use since May assisting spacecraft
operations and is about to be activated as a communications
experiment shortly in the new year - although initially in a
limited experimental way only.
The Particle/Wave Experiment has carried out experiments in
conjunction with the AMPTE spacecraft in November and more are
scheduled for April 1985.
Test images have been received from the CCD camera on UO-11,
but further work is required on the ground station facilities
at UoS before this experiment can be fully evaluated.
Considerable efforts are under way on the 9600 bps psk 435 MHz
downlink with some success.
Although little has been seen from the Space Dust Experiment, a
number of events were recorded in early December - coinciding
with a meteor shower. This data is still being analysed.
The OBC has been used continuously to provide autonomous
attitude control; whole-orbit experiment and telemetry data
surveys; automatic experiment and downlink switching and
special experiment support.
The telemetry, telecommand and power systems continue to
perform well. The programmable channel 'dwell' facility on the
telemetry has been used frequently for attitude control
navigational support.
The UoSAT Team would like to thank the very many experimenters
world-wide for their support and regular reports on the
spacecraft - they are much appreciated.
UoSAT-OSCAR-9 has had a good year too - supporting a regular
experiment schedule and, of course, the Bulletin! The UO-9
schedule is likely to be modified in the New Year to reflect
user interests.
The UoSAT Team do, however, suffer increasing manpower
problems. Operating two spacecraft - as well as planning
future missions - is VERY labour-intensive and there is much we
cannot do, due to resource limitations, which we would like to
be able to do! We are trying to improve this situation but it
will take time.
1985 promises to be a busy year too - more experiments on UO-11
and preparation for PACSAT and other missions - we are looking
forward to another exciting year!
* AMPTE Spacecraft Barium Release *
Early risers on Christmas day will be treated to an unusual
display from an experiment that will study the Earth's magnetic
field and how it affects the solar wind. An AMPTE satellite
will release four canisters of barium 70,000 miles above the
Pacific Ocean, creating, in effect, a man-made comet. The
spectacular display that should result will be visible
throughout the western U.S., northern Mexico, southwestern
Canada and Hawaii.
At approximately 4:08 AM PST on Christmas morning the West
German satellite will eject the canisters and their barium
load. The comet will be visible about ten minutes later when
sunlight causes the barium atoms to radiate colored light. The
display will be visible to the naked eye in an area west of a
line running from Chicago to the southern end of Texas. It
will not be visible in areas where the sun has already risen.
* NOAA-9 *
NOAA-9 was launched at 10:42 gmt on 12 December - no additional
information available at present except that the launch appears
to have been successful and signals from NOAA-9 have been
received at UoS on 191284.
** UoSAT-Oscar-9 Schedule **
This weeks schedule will be modified as follows due to Xmas:
Friday 211284 - load Bulletin
Saturday 221284 - Bulletin/DIGITALKER/1200 bps telemetry
until
Wednesday 020184
The 21 MHz Beacon will be in use during this time.
** UoSAT-Oscar-11 Operations **
DAY ORBIT CHANNELS RESET TIME
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Friday 4203 2,3 11:51:49
(OBC told to change d/link from TLM to ODATA after 6hrs)
Saturday whole orbit data dump
Sunday 4232 reset Watch-Dog
ODATA dump
4233 2,3 13:00:10
4237
(OBC told to change d/link from TLM to ODATA after 1.5hrs)
Monday 4245 1,2,3,52 08:47:02
4246 despin
4247 despin
4252 2,3, 20:02:00
(OBC told to change d/link from TLM to ODATA after 2.5hrs)
Tuesday 4261 despin
4262 despin
4266 2,3, 19:01:16
(OBC told to change d/link from TLM to ODATA after 6hrs)
Wednesday 4275 despin
4276 despin
4282 1,2,3,52 21:18:02
(OBC told to change d/link from TLM to ODATA after 1.5hrs)
Thursday 4290 despin
4291 2,3 12:21:55
DCE tests
Friday 4304 reset Watch Dog
4305 DCE tests
2,3 11:24:15
** Thanks for Reports & Questionnaire Returns ** I2KBD, ZL1MO,
JA2WO, W.T.Smith, DL7OU