SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS019
ARLS019 STS-59/SAREX update

ZCZC AS63  
QST de W1AW  
Space Bulletin 019  ARLS019
>From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington, CT  April 12, 1994
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS019
ARLS019 STS-59/SAREX update

With nearly all of the SAREX school contacts successfully completed,
the crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavour may have additional
opportunities for random contacts with the Amateur Radio community.
There have also been dozens of reports from amateurs who have made
successful contact with the robot packet station, W5RRR-1.

As a reminder, all SAREX operation is split.  The Shuttle voice and
packet downlink frequency is 145.55 MHz.  Please, do not transmit on
the downlink frequency.  The worldwide packet transmit frequency is
144.49 MHz.  FM voice transmit frequencies for all areas except
Europe are 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97 and 144.99 MHz.  The
European voice uplink frequencies are 144.70, 144.75 and 144.80 MHz.
Please, only transmit on the uplink frequency when the Shuttle is
within range of your station.

Crew opportunities for random contacts will be made on a
non-interference basis with other scheduled flight activities and
work.  Look for call signs N5QWL and N5RAX on 2-meter FM voice.

The Shuttle is scheduled to land on Monday, April 18 at 1612 UTC.

Jim Mollica Jr, N2NRD, reported copying these packet beacons from
the Shuttle:

10 April 1994, W5RRR-1>QST  Hi from low Earth orbit.. We had a
great launch, and the radar lab in our payload bay is working well.
We have set up our living and working quarters, and have even had
time to get on 2m voice twice.  Being in space is GREAT.  73, N5QWL

10 April 1994, W5RRR-1>QST  Hello from Endeavour.  The Red Team has
been on duty today.  We are supporting Space Radar Laboratory
operations.  We have seen a huge dust storm in Africa, and a lot of
frozen lakes in Canada.  Earth from orbit looks great.  We are
enjoying the mission and will hand over to the Blue Team in a few
hours.

To obtain a QSL, send your report and QSL to ARRL EAD, STS-59 QSL,
225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111, USA.  Include the following
information in your QSL or report: STS-59, date, time in UTC,
frequency and mode (FM voice or packet).  In addition, you must also
include an SASE using a large, business-sized envelope if you wish
to receive a card.  The Orange Park Amateur Radio Club in Florida
has generously volunteered to manage the cards for this mission.

The following Keplerian elements reflect the orbit following a
retrograde trim burn performed this morning, April 12.

STS-59 
1 23042U 94020A   94102.60601196 0.00019765  11068-4  10664-4 0   148
2 23042  56.9943 248.7421 0009326 283.3969  76.6081 16.21184650   526

Satellite: STS-59 
Catalog number: 23042 
Epoch time:      94102.60601196         (12 APR 94   14:32:39.43 UTC) 
Element set:     GSFC-014 
Inclination:       56.9943 deg 
RA of node:       248.7421 deg          Space Shuttle Flight STS-59 
Eccentricity:    0.0009326                  Keplerian Elements 
Arg of perigee:   283.3969 deg 
Mean anomaly:      76.6081 deg 
Mean motion:   16.21184650 rev/day      Semi-major Axis: 6594.4697 Km 
Decay rate:       0.20E-03 rev/day2    Apogee  Alt:        222.23 Km 
Epoch rev:              52              Perigee Alt:        209.93 Km 

Thanks to Ron Parise, WA4SIR, of the Goddard Space Flight Center and
Gil Carman, WA5NOM of the NASA Johnson Space Center for the
preceding elements.