ad7i (04/20/83)
qst de ad7i holmdel, new jersey, u.s.a. hr arrl bulletin nr 30 from arrl headquarters newington ct april 18, 1983 to all radio amateurs bt astronaut owen garriott, w5lfl, will operate an amateur radio station aboard the next space shuttle mission, scheduled for september 1983. on april 16, nasa officially approved a joint arrl/amsat proposal to include an amateur station aboard the sts 9/spacelab flight. the joint arrl/amsat proposal calls for arrl to furnish the special amateur radio equipment for use on the shuttle, and to organize and coach amateurs in procedures for rapid and efficient communications with the shuttle. this operation, which will be on 2 meter fm, will mark the first time in the history of space exploration that the general public will be able to communicate directly with an astronaut in orbit. details will be forthcoming in qst ar