SB NEWS @ AMSAT $SPC0523 * SpaceNews 23-May-94 * BID: $SPC0523 ========= SpaceNews ========= MONDAY MAY 23, 1994 SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA. It is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution. * LUSAT-1 CRASH RECOVERY UNDERWAY * =================================== On 16-May-94 while LU1JBR and other stations were operating LUSAT-1 (LO-19), the satellite's downlink vanished, a result of an on-board computer crash. By 17-May-94, LUSAT-1 command station (operated by Norberto Pennini, LU8DYF), successfully reset the satellite. Norberto will start a series of deep tests and studies in order to find the origin of the crash. Reloading of operating software will follow the study. Please note that the satellite will not be operational for regular users for the next 7 to 30 day period. LUSAT-OSCAR-19 controllers would like to thank LU8DYF and other stations who, in a way or another, collaborated and made this operation a success, including: LU6DYD, LU7AKC, LU7DSU, LU8ENU, LU4AGC, LU1EXC, LU2BDT, LW1EEO and LU3AGY. [Info via Eduardo Sweet, LU7AKC] * AMSAT CALL FOR PAPERS * ========================= Share your experience with the amaeur satellite community at the 1994 AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting and Space Symposium scheduled for 07-Oct-94 through 09-Oct-94 in Orlando, Florida. Come help celebrate AMSAT's 25 year presence in Space. Your help is needed to make this meeting a success. Papers for this meeting are sought. Editing, formatting, graphics and even typing can be provided if required. Prepare a paper and advance your reputation among others involved in the Amateur Satellite program! Even if you cannot attend the meeting, consider a paper for publication. Topics for all amateur satellite disciplines are sought. Author and Title requested ASAP. Compose a short abstract by July 1. Final drafts are requested on or about August 26. Direct inputs and inquiries to: Steve Park - WB9OEP 12122 99th Ave. N. Seminole, FL 34642 Phone: (813) 391-7515 Internet: SKPA@QMGATE.ECI-ESYST.COM Amateur Packet Radio: WB9OEP @ W4DPH#TPA.FL.EL87OW Join us in Orlando, Florida for the fun and festivities! [Info via Steve Park, WB9OEP] * CLEMENTINE FAILURE * ====================== After successfully completing a mission using advanced ballistic missile defense technologies to map the entire surface of the moon, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization's Clementine satellite suffered an on-board malfunction at 9:39 AM EST on 07-May-94. The likely result of this malfunction will be to prevent Clementine from performing the planned close fly by of the near-Earth asteroid Geographos in August 1994, and for the satellite to point its cameras and sensors. Preliminary analysis has traced the cause of the malfunction to the on-board computer which controls most of the satellite's systems including the attitude control thrusters. The computer activated several thrusters during a 20 minute telemetry interrupt with the ground station, thus depleting all the fuel in the Attitude Control System (ACS) tanks. It has not been determined as yet whether the fault was in the computer software or in the computer's electronic chips. The primary processor on the computer is a radiation hardened Military Standard 1750A computer, which is not experimental technology. Clementine's mission control center in Alexandria, VA. is continuously monitoring the satellite. It has been determined that all instruments and systems are continuing to function well with the exception of the ACS. Although it may be difficult to Clementine to make the close fly by of the asteroid, the satellite will continue to perform its intended military mission to test 23 advanced technologies. The Clementine engineering team is examining several mission options which would continue to yield useful data. Since January 25, 1994, Clementine's cameras have recorded over 1.5 million images including the topographical surface of the moon. Analyzing this data, including results of the search for the existence of ice on the lunar surface, will continue to occupy scientists for many years. The Clementine project is managed by BMDO, built by the Naval Research Laboratory, and its instruments constructed by industry and the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. It has been a landmark project since it demonstrates that small, highly capable satellites can be built and launched for under $100 million and in less than two years, using advanced miniaturized technology and a streamlined management approach. [Info via Richard H. Buenneke Jr.] * DISCOVERY OF ASTEROID MOON * ============================== NASA's space probe Galileo has discovered what is probably the first known moon of an asteroid. Since Galileo passed the asteroid, Ida, on August 28, 1993, the probe has continued to send back images and data from the near infrared mapping spectrometer. Because of the great distance at which the probe is from Earth, downloading this data will continue for months to come. The Galileo Porject Scientist, announced on March 3, 1994, the discovery of a "blip" consisiting of more than a few pixels visible in data from both the solid-state imaging system and the spectrometer. Based on simultaneous observation, a natural moon may be in orbit around Ida. If so, this would be the first satellite of an asteroid to be discovered. More information will be forth coming soon from NASA, along with the first images of this possibly new moon orbiting Ida. [Info via Dave, N9JUW] * ECLIPSE IMAGE AVAILABLE VIA FTP * =================================== A collection of images taken of the 10-May-94 annular solar eclipse have been assembled into a single file and is available via anonymous FTP at: ftp.uleth.ca (IP # 142.66.3.29). The image is called "eclipse.gif" and is located in the "pub/solar/Images" directory at this site. The frame contains 24 high-quality images taken by the Big Bear Solar Observatory. All but three are full-disk hydrogen-alpha and Ca II K images, giving excellent views of existing features visible on the Sun (regions of enhanced plage, filaments, etc). The other three images are high-resolution close-up images of the Sun showing craters and mountain ranges against the background of the solar surface. "eclipse.gif" is a large 1500 x 1297 x 256 image that will make good use of large high-resolution monitors. The folks at the BBSO did a great job capturing these images, and deserve a nice pat on the back for covering the event so well. "eclipse.gif" is in a semi-permanent state. That is, it will not be removed from the FTP disk for a few months. [Info via Cary Oler] * RS-10 NEWS * ============== VE3CIQ in Canada reports that RS-10 is working quite well in Mode A. In one Atlantic pass, he made contact with FG5GI from Guateloupe Island, ON2ATB from Belgium, and N1MCT from Maine, USA using 25 watts of transmitter power. VE3CIQ reports he can hear himself with only 5 watts. [Info via VE3CIQ] * SpaceNews IN SPANISH * ======================== Pedro Jose, EA4ADD in Spain is translating SpaceNews issues into the Spanish language and circulating the translated issues throughout the LATNET (Latin America) and the EA (Spanish) packet radio networks. My thanks to EA4ADD for taking the time to translate SpaceNews into Spanish. * THANKS! * =========== Thanks to all those who sent messages of appreciation to SpaceNews, especially: ON1AOT VK2XCI VE3CIQ EA4ADD N6UVY WB9OEP W0XK * 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 PACKET : KD2BD @ N2KZH.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! -=>> /EX