From: dave@eram.esi.COM.AU (Dave Horsfall)
Newsgroups: aus.radio.amsat
Subject: * SpaceNews 28-Dec-92 *
Date: 27 Dec 92 07:48:04 GMT
Distribution: aus
Organization: Pacific ESI, Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Bulletin ID: $SPC1228


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


                       MONDAY DECEMBER 28, 1992


SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It
is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution.



* COMET IN ONE PIECE *
======================
In a statement best filed under the scientific heading "oops",
astronomers in Arizona say they erred in reporting that comet
Swift-Tuttle had suddenly split.  Because of unexpected optical
effects due to reflections inside their telescope system, the
astronomers reported erroneously on 08-Dec-92 that the big comet
had "calved" three large chunks of icy material.  They thought
they could see the extra chunks flying along in formation with
the comet's nucleus.

Less than a week after that announcement, however Uve Fink and
his colleagues at the University of Arizona stated:

"We regret to be forced to issue a retraction to our report of
the split nuclei of Swift-Tuttle.  Though the secondary nuclei
appeared quite strongly in our H2O filter images, they have not
shown up in any other filter images.  After carefully checking
our standard and comparison-star exposures through our H2O filter,
we find similar faint 'satellite' images as on the exposure of the
comet.  It would seem that the secondary nuclei are a reflection
in the optics, and therefore spurious."

This means that comet Swift-Tuttle is probably still intact as
it heads off into space after making its close approach to the
sun earlier this month.

[Story by Robert Cooke of L.I. Newsday, 22-Dec-92 via N2JUX]


* FO-20 STATUS *
================
The latest Mode JA analog transponder schedule from Kazu Sakamoto,
JJ1WTK, at FO-20 mission control is as follows:

29-Dec-92 23:48 UTC -to- 30-Dec-92 00:07 UTC
09-Jan-93 00:10 UTC -to- 10-Jan-93 00:30 UTC
13-Jan-93 00:35 UTC -to- 14-Jan-93 00:55 UTC
19-Jan-93 23:10 UTC -to- 20-Jan-93 23:45 UTC
26-Jan-93 23:30 UTC -to- 26-Jan-93 23:50 UTC

The Mode JA operation scheduled on 23-Dec-92 was cancelled.  Mode JD
operation will occur continuously Tuesday through Thursday.


* KO-23 OPERATION REPORT *
==========================
Status Report 2 for period ending 18-Dec-92

During last week's operation, the OBC186 S/W crashed once possibly
due to a CPE and OBC186 communication error. Although an Engineering
model in the groundstation is available to test software, some
transient S/W errors are difficult to find.

The spacecraft is healthy in general.

[Info via H.S. Kim, G7LAZ at HL0ENJ (KAIST)]


* ENDEAVOR LAUNCH *
===================
NASA managers have selected January 13 for the launch of the next US Space
Shuttle mission involving shuttle "Endeavor".  This will be a 6 day mission.


* TNX DE KD2BD *
================
Thanks to all who sent Christmas cards and messages of appreciation,
especially the following:

FC1DGQ G2DHV KA2QHD N2JUX VU2LBW WA2GSY G6WOV G7LAZ DU9AMQ N0OXV WA0LHC

Ferruccio Palmeri @ Olivetti Computer Corporation, Italy
Yoshiro Yamada @ The Yokohama Science Center, Japan


* HAPPY NEW YEAR! *
===================
All the best wishes for a great 1993 from KD2BD!


* FEEDBACK/INPUT WELCOMED *
===========================
Mail to SpaceNews should be directed to the editor (John, KD2BD) via any
of the following paths:

FAX      : 1-908-747-7107
UUCP     : ...catfish.ocpt.ccur.com!ka2qhd!kd2bd
PACKET   : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
INTERNET : kd2bd@ka2qhd.de.com  -or- kd2bd@amsat.org

MAIL     : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD
           Department of Engineering and Technology
           Advanced Technology Center
           Brookdale Community College
           Lincroft, New Jersey  07738
           U.S.A.


       <<=- SpaceNews: The first amateur newsletter read in space! -=>>

-- 
Dave Horsfall (VK2KFU)         VK2KFU @ VK2RWI.NSW.AUS.OC
dave@esi.COM.AU                ...munnari!esi.COM.AU!dave