From: dave@eram.esi.COM.AU (Dave Horsfall)
Newsgroups: aus.radio.amsat
Subject: * SpaceNews 21-Dec-92 *
Date: 22 Dec 92 00:06:29 GMT
Distribution: aus
Organization: Pacific ESI, Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Bulletin ID: $SPC1221


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


                       MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 1992


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



* TEXAS BALLOON LAUNCH UPDATE *
===============================
Launch of the second mission of the North Texas Balloon Project
was scrubbed on the morning of December 12, 1992.  Weather
conditions at the launch site, and across north Texas for that
matter, were not fit for man nor beast nor amateur radio weather
ballooning!

The Federal Aviation Regulations governing these types of
activities clearly states that there shall be no more that 50%
cloud cover and at least a five mile visibility.  Since it was
completely overcast (solid from 3,000 to 6,000 ft. AGL), the
launch was scrubbed for the day.  A tentative launch date of
January 9, 1993 (1500 UTC) has been set to launch the second
mission.

We were encouraged to hear many of you check into the 40m launch
net from across the country.  We hope to hear you in there again
next time, too!

Again, if you would like an information package describing the
flight payload, including telemetry decoding graphs and
equations, please send an SASE with two units postage to Doug
Howard - KG5OA, 2517 Coldstream Drive, Fort Worth, Texas  76123.

[Info via Doug, KG5OA]


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

22-Dec-92 23:25 UTC -to- 23-Dec-92 23:45 UTC
29-Dec-92 23:48 UTC -to- 30-Dec-92 00:07 UTC


* RS-10 NEWS *
==============
The RS-10 satellite is sending a special holiday greeting through its
CW telemetry beacon.  The message reads:

CQ de RS3A BT
Merry christmas and a happy new year BT

pse send ur qsl to address

Russia
Moscow 141000
Station Perlovskaya,
UL VVoloshinoj.
D11 KV 72
Mironov Andrey BT

Merry christmas and a happy new year BT
op andy 73 AR

[Info via Joe, G3ZCZ]


* OSCAR-13 NEWS *
=================
The latest AO-13 magnetorquing session to modify AO-13's attitude from
210/0 to 130/0 started on 19-Dec-92 at 15:41 UTC on orbit number 3458
at mean anomaly 224.  This attitude change will take about nine days
and be carried out in two stages.  The first stage will be to change
the attitude to approximately 155/15 over the next 6 perigees
finishing on 22-Dec-92 at 03:43 UTC.  After checking the attitude
over the next few days the second stage will be to change the
attitude from 155/15 to 130/0.

The move to 130/0 should be completed by 28-Dec-92.  During the
reorientation from 210/0 to 130/0, the Sun Angle (SA) will approach
-45 degrees.  From previous experience, when the |SA| > 45 degrees,
the spacecraft will not support more than 55 MA units of continuous
Mode-B transponder operation.  Therefore, if the |SA| approaches
45 degrees, the Mode-B transponder will only be switched ON from
MA 90 to MA 145.

[Info via Graham, VK5AGR]


* TNX DE KD2BD *
================
Thanks to all who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially:

IW5CNC  N5LUY  WA5WHN  AL7MK  G7GOD  N8HSP


* HAPPY HOLIDAYS! *
===================
Holiday greetings and best wishes in the new year to all 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