10-19-95:  SAREX Fact Sheet: STS-74


SAREX FACT SHEET - STS-74

Media Contact:
Jennifer Hagy, N1TDY
Media Relations Assistant
American Radio Relay League
(860) 594-0328
(860) 594-0200

SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTS VIA AMATEUR RADIO

Amateur (or "ham") Radio operators from around the world will point their
antennas at the sky during the upcoming shuttle mission, STS-74. Many of
them hope to make radio contact with the astronauts aboard the Space
Shuttle Atlantis. And, some of these amateurs have volunteered to assist
student groups that have prepared questions to ask the astronauts via the
ham radio airwaves. The project is called the Shuttle Amateur Radio
EXperiment, or SAREX. 

The crew will use a radio aboard the shuttle on frequencies used by ham
radio operators. They will talk directly with large groups of students,
showing young people, teachers, parents and communities how Amateur Radio
energizes students about science, technology, and learning. 

To operate Amateur Radio from the space shuttle, one or more of the
astronauts needs to have an Amateur Radio license. Three of the crew
members on this flight are licensed amateurs. Commander Ken Cameron,
Amateur Radio call sign KB5AWP, previously used ham radio from the Space
Shuttle Atlantis during STS-37 in April 1991 and from the Space Shuttle
Discovery during STS-56 in April 1993. Mission Specialist Jerry Ross, call
sign N5SCW, was also member of STS-37 SAREX crew, and operated ham radio
aboard the STS-55 Columbia mission in April/May 1993. Mission Specialist
Bill McArthur, KC5ACR used ham radio aboard the Shuttle Columbia during
STS-58 in October/November 1993. Mission Specialist Chris Hadfield may
also earn his license before the mission--his first shuttle flight. 

Amateur Radio has been flying aboard the shuttles since 1983.

WHEN: Launch is scheduled for November 1, 1995 at 1651 UTC (11:51 AM EST)
from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Landing is
scheduled for November 9, 1995 at 1400 UTC (9:00 AM EST) at the Kennedy
Space Center, Florida. 7 day, 21 hour mission.

WHERE: The launch will place the shuttle into Earth orbit at an altitude of
196-245 statute miles (315-394 km) and an inclination of 51.6 degrees.

WHY: NASA's intent in making astronauts available for SAREX operations is
to involve the largest possible numbers of people, particularly students,
in technology and the US space program with the help of Amateur Radio.

During SAREX missions, the astronauts will typically make the following
types of Amateur Radio contacts:
     Scheduled radio contacts with schools.
     Random radio contacts with the Amateur Radio community.
     Personal contacts with the astronauts' families.

CREW MEMBERS (and Amateur Radio call signs):
     Kenneth D. Cameron, Commander, KB5AWP
     James Donald Halsell, Jr., Pilot
     Jerry L. Ross, Mission Specialist 1, N5SCW
     William Surles McArthur, Jr., Mission Specialist 2, KC5ACR
     Chris Hadfield, Mission Specialist 3, call sign TBD

PAYLOAD: Primary Payload--Docking Module
The Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its second trip to the Russian Space
Station Mir during this mission, this time to install a permanent docking
module that will simplify future shuttle link ups to the Russian complex.
The target Mir docking date is November 4. STS-74 is the second of seven
shuttle flights to Mir. This effort, known as Phase 1, is the precursor to
building the International Space Station. [This information taken from the
NASA STS-74 Mission Summary, 12/14/94.]

Additional STS-74 mission information can be obtained from NASA:
     * NASA Spacelink computer information system (look under
       Spacelink.Hot.Topics)
          BBS: (205) 895-0028 [VT-100, 8-N-1]
          Telnet, FTP, and Gopher: spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          World Wide Web: http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          Internet TCP/IP address: 192.149.89.61
     * NASA Shuttle World Wide Web Home Page: http://shuttle.nasa.gov

SAREX SPONSORS: The Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) is sponsored
by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), The Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation (AMSAT) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA). SAREX is supported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: A handful of schools are selected from around the
world to make contact with the shuttle during most SAREX missions. These
contacts are prearranged, giving the schools a greater chance at making a
successful contact. Two or more students at each of the selected schools
ask questions of the astronauts during the contact. The nature of these
contacts embodies the primary goal of SAREX--to excite students' interest
in learning.

The following schools have been selected by the SAREX Working Group for a
scheduled radio contact during this mission:

Franklin Junior High School
Pocatello, ID

Connecticut-area schools (combined-effort)
   Staples High School, Westport (contact site)
   Western Middle School, Greenwich
   Saxe Middle School, New Canaan
   Columbus Magnet School, Norwalk

Lake Street Elementary School
Crown Point, IN

Magee Middle School
Round Lake Hts., IL

Quimby Oak Junior High School
San Jose, CA


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS-

SAREX RADIO FREQUENCIES: During most SAREX missions, many of the crew
members will make random contacts with earth-bound hams. They make these
contacts during their breaks, before and after meal time, and during their
pre-sleep time. In fact, over the past years the astronauts have contacted
thousands of amateurs around the world.

Since this flight is a shuttle-Mir docking mission, and SAREX and Mir
Amateur Radio stations usually share the same downlink frequency (145.55
MHz), the SAREX Working Group has decided to use the following frequencies
during this mission.

The crew will use separate receive and transmit frequencies. PLEASE do not
transmit on the shuttle's DOWNLINK frequency. The DOWNLINK is your
receiving frequency. The UPLINK is your transmitting frequency.

     FM Voice Downlink: 145.84 MHz
     FM Voice Uplink: 144.45, 144.47 MHz

The crew will not favor either uplink frequency, so your ability to
communicate with SAREX will be the "luck of the draw." Transmit only when
the shuttle is within range of your station, and when the shuttle's station
is on-the-air.

CALL SIGNS:
     FM voice call signs--KB5AWP, N5SCW, KC5ACR

QSL VIA: Send reports and QSLs to ARRL EAD, STS-74 QSL, 225 Main Street,
Newington, CT 06111-1494, USA. Include the following information in your
QSL or report: STS-74, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode (FM voice). In
addition, you must also include a SASE using a large, business-sized
envelope if you wish to receive a card. The Greater Norwalk Amateur Radio
Club in Norwalk, CT has generously volunteered to manage the cards for this
mission.

SHUTTLE TRACKING: Current Keplerian elements to track the shuttle are
available from the following sources:
     * NASA Spacelink computer information system
          BBS: (205) 895-0028 [VT-100, 8-N-1]
          Telnet, FTP, and Gopher: spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          World Wide Web: http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          Internet TCP/IP address: 192.149.89.61
     * NASA SAREX WWW Home Page:
http://www.nasa.gov/sarex/sarex_mainpage.html
     * ARRL
          W1AW news bulletins (frequencies and times listed under "FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION")
          BBS: (860) 594-0306
          World Wide Web: http://www.arrl.org
     *AMSAT
          World Wide Web: http://www.amsat.org
     * Johnson Space Center Amateur Radio Club
          BBS: (713) 244-5625
     * Goddard Amateur Radio Club
          BBS: (301) 286-4137
          World Wide Web: http://garc.gsfc.nasa.gov/www/garc-home-page.html
          Packet: WA3NAN on 145.090 MHz in DC area

CONFIGURATION: During STS-74, the SAREX hardware will be flown in
configuration M. Configuration M uses the shuttle/Mir VHF radio for FM
voice radio contacts.

During final approaches to the Mir Space Station, a VHF radio is used by
the shuttle Commander to radio the Mir crew by ship-to-ship communications,
providing shuttle status and keeping them informed of major events from
that point on, including confirmation of contact, capture and conclusion of
damping. This same VHF radio is used by the crew for SAREX activities
during shuttle/Mir docking missions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Contact the American Radio Relay League
Educational Activities Department
225 Main Street, Newington CT 06111-1494 USA
Telephone (860) 594-0301, FAX (860) 594-0259, ARRL BBS (860) 594-0306
Internet sarex@arrl.org
World Wide Web http://www.arrl.org
CompuServe 70007,3373
Prodigy PTYS02A
America Online HQARRL1

ARRL's (Newington, CT) Amateur Radio station (call sign W1AW) transmits
news bulletins (9:45 PM, 12:45 AM EST) on HF bands at 3.99, 7.29, 14.29,
18.16, 21.39, 28.59 and in the Connecticut area on VHF at 147.555 MHz. W1AW
bulletins are also forwarded on packet.

Members of the Goddard Amateur Radio Club (Greenbelt, MD) re-transmit live,
shuttle air-to-ground audio over the amateur frequencies from their club
station, WA3NAN. To listen-in, tune to Amateur Radio high frequency (HF)
bands at 3.86, 7.185, 14.295, 21.395, and 28.65 megahertz (MHz) and in the
Maryland/DC area on a very high frequency (VHF) band at 147.45 MHz.


The "SAREX Bulletin" contains additional general information on SAREX. This
document may be obtained electronically from many of the popular on-line
electronic services.

The American Radio Relay League
Newington, CT
USA

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