November 2006 - Sarex (INACTIVE)

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-30 19:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 30 Nov '06

30 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-30 19:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 258. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-30 19:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-11-20 22:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCH
by Arthur Rowe 29 Nov '06

29 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Nov. 29, 2006 Katherine Trinidad Headquarters, Washington 202-358-3749 Jessica Rye Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 RELEASE: 06-359 NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCH CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA senior managers today unanimously recommended launching the Space Shuttle Discovery on December 7. Commander Mark Polansky and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 9:35 p.m. EST on the STS-116 mission, one of the most challenging flights to continue building the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission and three spacewalks, the crew will work closely with flight controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, to install a new segment of the station's girder-like truss and activate the station's permanent, complex power and cooling systems. The launch date was announced after a traditional meeting, known as the Flight Readiness Review. During the two-day meeting, top NASA managers and engineers assess any risks associated with the mission and determine whether the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures are ready for flight. "What struck me during this meeting was how complex this mission is and how it fits into the next series of assembly missions," said Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier, who chaired the Flight Readiness Review. "We had a very good discussion on a lot of topics and our teams worked hard to make sure we had all the information we need to set our launch date for next Thursday." Joining Commander Polansky aboard Discovery will be Pilot Bill Oefelein, mission specialists Bob Curbeam, Joan Higginbotham, Nicholas Patrick, European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang and Sunita Williams. Williams will remain aboard the station for six months. ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, who has lived on the station since July, will return to Earth on Discovery. For more information about the STS-116 mission, including images and interviews with the crew, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

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EXP 14 CREW EXTENDED ONE MONTH
by Arthur Rowe 28 Nov '06

28 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Astronauts currently working on the International Space Station will have their six-month mission extended by another month to avoid early spring flooding on the Kazakh steppe, where they are due to land, a Russian space official said last Wednesday. According to a revised schedule, U.S. astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin of the Expedition 14 crew, who began working on the world's sole orbital station September 20, will return to Earth in April instead of March. They will be joined by the fifth space tourist on their return trip, Hungarian-born American software billionaire Charles Simonyi, who is expected to arrive at the ISS with the 15th crew. The flooding makes it "extremely hard to find a dry place for a capsule with astronauts to land on, and landing on a flooded steppe may be quite dangerous," he said. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany, who has been on board the station since July, will work as part of the Expedition 14 crew until December and will then hand off to astronaut Sunita Williams.

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FT-847 Problem
by Tony, VK5ZAI 28 Nov '06

28 Nov '06

Hello all, Has anybody experienced instability with their FT-847 on 2 m SSB every so-often the RX breaks into a shrill chirping for maybe 10 -20 seconds at random, then OK for a week or two (perhaps!) The RF amp and ATT. buttons don't appear to have any effect on stopping it when the problem is there. It doesn't appear to have any real effect on sensitivity, as it will receive a SSB signal while the noise is there, it's just hard to listen too. Any help would be appreciated, the fault being so intermittent it's going to be hard to find. Please reply direct. Thanks. PS. Antenna on or off makes no difference -- Regards Tony. VK5ZAI J.A.(Tony)Hutchison P.O.Box 470 Kingston SE South Australia 5275 Australian ARISS Co-ordinator and Satellite ground Station. Web Site :- http://www.electric-web.org

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ASTRONAUT LANDS IN LAWRENCE,MASS
by Arthur Rowe 28 Nov '06

28 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > > SUBJECT: ASTRONAUT LANDS IN LAWRENCE,MASS > > PERMISSION GRANTED BY THE EAGLE TRIBUNE N. ANDOVER, MA TO REPRODUCE > THIS ARTICLE > Published: 11/28/2006 > > Astronaut inspires middle-schoolers > By Yadira Betances > Staff Writer > > LAWRENCE - "Can you eat Chinese food up in space?" "Do you have cable > TV?" "How do you brush your teeth?" > > Those were some of the questions sixth- and seventh-graders at South > Lawrence East Middle School asked NASA astronaut George Zamka when he > visited the school yesterday at the invitation of Principal Dina Hickey. > > For the record, you can eat Chinese food, there is no cable television > and you brush your teeth as you do on Earth, except that you can't spit. > > He showed students two videos about the launch process at Kennedy > Space Center in Florida and what life is like for astronauts in space. > > While the first video was more technical, the second got lots of > laughs from students. The children laughed when a female astronaut was > seen on the overhead projector with her frizzy, long blond hair > covering her face. Others giggled when an astronaut waited for a > peeled banana to finally reach his opened mouth. > > Zamka was selected by NASA for astronaut training in 1998 and in > September he will board the space shuttle Atlantis for his first trip > into space. > > Zamka will pilot the mission that will deliver the Node 2 connecting > module to the international space station. > > "It was really cool," seventh-grader Deanna Desfosses, 12, said. "I > have never seen a real astronaut before and it was great that we had > the opportunity to see a real space person." > > Listening to Zamka was especially interesting to Stephanie DeLeon, 12. > > "I love space and studying the planets," said Stephanie, who has a > giant globe in the middle of her bedroom and several books on the > planets on her bookshelf. > > "He really inspired me to try something new," Stephanie said. "He > helped me learn more about what astronauts do up in space and how the > spaceship goes up and how it comes back from atmosphere." > > You could hear the oohs and aahs from the 300 students in the > auditorium as Zamka answered questions from how they prepare for the > launch to personal hygiene in the space station. > > "I want to go to space camp because one day I'll do that," said > sixth-grader Aneuris Reyes. > > Zamka told the children how he grew up building model airplanes. His > childhood hobby led him to train as a Marine pilot, including 66 > combat missions over Kuwait and Iraq in 1993 during Desert Storm. > > The New Jersey native earned a bachelor of science degree in > mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1984. Upon graduation, he > was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He also > received a masters of science degree in engineering management from > Florida Institute of Technology in 1997. > > Liane Arroyo, 13, was mesmerized by Zamka. > > "It was really good and exciting to see how they do such amazing stuff > in space," Liane said. > > "He inspired me to become an astronaut myself," said Jennifer > Guardado, 12. "You have fun but a lot of time it is hard work." > > Zamka remembers having role models to look up to growing up. > > "I want to do the same for these guys if I can," he said. "If I can > get a couple of students wondering about math or what's out there, I'm > happy." > > That was the goal Principal Hickey had when she invited Zamka to talk > to the students. > > "I was thrilled that we got him to visit," Hickey said. "Our students > do not get a lot of exposure (to space travel). Because of this, math, > engineering are areas they will probably explore." > >

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ISS expeiment E.T. shadow
by Kevin Forbes 28 Nov '06

28 Nov '06

Hi all, just making a mention of this experiment again for anyone that missed it. I just received this. > >Dear friends! >Thank you for support of the space experiment "Shadow" on ISS. More than >200 claims have been registered, the experienced hams Gennady Tjapichev >(R3XB) and Guy Roels (ON6MU) presented the special tools for generation of >a short beacon, some groups of hams had conducted trial experiments "in a >ground" air for checkout of a methodology. The ground preparation of the >space experiment "Shadow" in a part of an amateur radio is practically >completed so that we could proceed to a following step, namely to "cold" >experiments in an orbit even an year ago. >However, fulfillment of the scientific programs on ISS was noticeably >quickened only with new flights of "Shuttles". >In order to begin with space experiment "Shadow", it was offered to conduct >a few auxiliary sessions of its cold phase in a digipeater mode. Sergey >Samburov (RV3DR), the employee of space-rocket corporation "Energia" which >is responsible for an amateur radio on ISS, explained that this mode is >already in use for available onboard amateur radio and allows to overcome >many formalities. >At the moment there is a decision to perform the first trial session on the >European measuring field as it is the most long and dense. Never the less >I'd like all to recollect all and look through the results of this European >session in order to be ready in your turn. >So I invite you to visit again our page >http://www.tsniimash.ru/Shadow/Next-eng.htm., check yourself in lists and >on maps, exam the section " Cold experiments " and other new materials and >further take part in the experiment as terms and requirements of its >realization will be additionally presented. Also I ask you to present this >invitation to your local BBS, the more participants the better. > >73, Valentin Strashinski, principal investigator, TSNIIMASH. > >æÏÔÏÐÅÞÁÔØ ÎÁ æÏÔÏ(a)Mail.ru - ×ÓÅÇÏ 2.5 ÒÕÂÌÑ ÚÁ ÏÔÐÅÞÁÔÏË 10È15! >http://r.mail.ru/cln3167/foto.mail.ru/catalog/photoprint.html or google E.T. shadow _________________________________________________________________ Advertisement: Fresh jobs daily. Stop waiting for the newspaper. Search now! www.seek.com.au http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fninemsn%2Eseek%2Ecom%2Eau&_…

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Re: Windows XP Time Sync
by Gene Harriman 23 Nov '06

23 Nov '06

Hi Everyone, Regarding Dieter's comments about time synchronization...I poked around the 'net and found this program to be the best of the ones I tried. I have it set to sync every 15 minutes and forget it's even running in the background. Each time I open SatSpy the time is right on. http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/index.htm I also have a program to sync my Palm T/X time to the laptop for portable satellite tracking... http://palm.pair.com/palmsync.html PocketSat+ runs on the Palm... http://www.bigfattail.com/software/pocketsatplus/palm/index.html I hope this is helpful! Everyone have a great holiday season, don't eat too much, (yeah right) and pray for peace! Regards! Gene Harriman N1EH Ground Tracking Station Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA vze2brn7atverizondotnet

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ISS STATUS REPORT #06-51
by Arthur Rowe 23 Nov '06

23 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *International Space Station Status Report #06-51* *12:15 a.m. CST, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2006* *Expedition 13 Crew* Two residents of the International Space Station ventured outside the complex Wednesday for a 5 hour, 38 minute spacewalk to reposition, deploy and relocate equipment and conduct a commercially sponsored activity. With Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter inside to monitor systems, Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin opened the hatch to the Pirs Docking Compartment airlock at 6:17 p.m. CST as the station flew over the Atlantic Ocean near the west coast of Africa. They wore Russian Orlan spacesuits for the 19th spacewalk conducted out of Pirs since it was mated to the Russian segment of the station in September 2001 during Tyurin’s first flight as part of Expedition 3. The start of the spacewalk was delayed more than an hour after Tyurin encountered a problem with a cooling hose for his spacesuit. He climbed out of the suit to reposition the hose, and uninterrupted cooling for the suit was restored. After setting up tools and equipment outside Pirs, Tyurin placed a three-gram golf ball on a spring-mounted tee and clamped it onto the ladder next to the Pirs hatch. Appearing uncomfortable with his feet planted on the ladder, Tyurin used a gold-plated six-iron to tap the golf ball safely away from the aft end of the Zvezda Service Module. Tyurin said he was pleased with his golf shot, and Russian flight controllers chose not to have him hit another ball so the crew could tackle other tasks. Tyurin’s golf shot was part of a demonstration for a commercially sponsored endeavor between a Canadian golf company and the Russian Federal Space Agency. The golf club and three balls were flown to the station on recent Russian Progress cargo ships. NASA's safety analysis showed that the balls will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up in about three days. The balls weigh only about as much as three one-dollar bills. The two spacewalkers then moved to the end of Zvezda where the recently arrived ISS Progress 23 cargo ship is docked. Tyurin released a latch on one of the antennas for the craft’s Kurs automated rendezvous system that failed to retract when the Progress docked on Oct. 26. Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria attempted to move the so-called “orientation” antenna back to its retracted and stowed position with their hands and with a prybar, but the antenna would not budge. Russian flight controllers also sent commands to drive the antenna to its retracted position, but that also failed. The spacewalkers took a number of pictures to send to Russian engineers, who will evaluate options for freeing the stuck antenna on a future spacewalk. The engineers surmise something may be frozen in the linkage for the antenna’s drive mechanism, preventing it from moving. While at the aft of Zvezda, Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria spent a few minutes removing and repositioning one of several communications antennas previously installed around the module’s docking port. This will assist the docking of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle that will be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana next year. In its previous location, the antenna partially blocked the opening of one of Zvezda’s engine covers. The antenna was reinstalled less than a foot from its original position, out of the way of future operations with the engine. Next, Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin moved to the top of the forward section of Zvezda to install an experiment called “BTN-Neutron” that will measure the volume of neutron particles emitted by solar flares that reach low Earth orbit. The crew wrapped up its work by jettisoning a pair of thermal covers for the experiment that will be tracked by flight controllers to ensure they pose no possibility of hitting the station or the shuttle Discovery that is scheduled for an assembly mission to the station in a few weeks. It was the 73rd spacewalk in support of station assembly and maintenance totaling 444 hours and 14 minutes of time outside the outpost and the first of four scheduled during Expedition 14. The spacewalk was the sixth in Lopez-Alegria’s career and the fourth for Tyurin. The next station status report will be issued Dec. 1, or earlier if events warrant. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station

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NASA's Space Shuttle Processing Status Report 11/22/06
by Arthur Rowe 22 Nov '06

22 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 NASA NEWS Jessica Rye Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 11.22.06 STATUS REPORT: S-112206 NASA's Space Shuttle Processing Status Report *Note:* NASA's Kennedy Space Center issues Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports periodically and is the source for information regarding processing activities associated with the vehicles and payloads. If you are a member of the media and would like further information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/index.html *Mission:* STS-116 - 20th International Space Station Flight (12A.1) - P5 Truss Segment *Vehicle:* Discovery (OV-103) *Location:* Launch Pad 39B *Launch Date:* No earlier than Dec. 7, 2006 *Launch Pad:* 39B *Crew:* Polansky, Oefelein, Curbeam, Higginbotham, Patrick, Fuglesang and Williams *Inclination/Orbit Altitude:* 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles This week at Launch Pad 39B, technicians completed prelaunch propellant servicing in preparation for Space Shuttle Discovery's launch to the International Space Station, set for no earlier than Dec. 7. This servicing includes loading the fuel (monomethyl hydrazine) and oxidizer (nitrogen tetroxide) into the orbital maneuvering system and the forward reaction control system. It also includes loading hydrazine in the solid rocket boosters and the auxiliary power units on the orbiter. Space shuttle main engine ball seal leak checks were completed today. Crew cabin and SPACEHAB leak checks are planned for Sunday. On Nov. 28 and 29, NASA managers will hold the traditional Flight Readiness Review at Kennedy Space Center. The review is a two-day assessment of preparations for Discovery's mission and is designed to produce a number of key decisions about the assembly flight, including selection of an official launch date. If the decision is made to proceed for the opening of the launch window, the seven-member crew will arrive for launch at the Shuttle Landing Facility the afternoon of Dec. 3.

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Launch Preparations Continue
by Arthur Rowe 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Launch Preparations Continue Space Shuttle Discovery behind the rotating service structure at Launch Pad 39B. Image above: The rotating service structure is in place around Space Shuttle Discovery at Launch Pad 39B, leaving only the top of the external tank and boosters visible. Image Credit: NASA + View More STS-116 Photos-GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.htm At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the P5 truss segment and SPACEHAB single logistics module are tucked away and awaiting launch inside Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay. The payload bay doors were closed for flight on Nov. 16. The STS-116 crew participated in a launch dress rehearsal and simulated countdown earlier that day, wrapping up the four-day terminal countdown demonstration test that took place at Kennedy from Nov. 13-16. The next major prelaunch milestone is the Flight Readiness Review, set for Nov. 28-29. The STS-116 mission will be the 20th flight to the International Space Station. The launch window opens Dec. 7.

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NASA Announces News Conference on Next Shuttle Launch
by Arthur Rowe 21 Nov '06

21 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Nov. 21, 2006 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > Jessica Rye > Kennedy Space Center, Fla. > 321-867-2468 > > > NASA ANNOUNCES NEWS CONFERENCE ON NEXT SHUTTLE LAUNCH > > CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With space shuttle Discovery poised on the > launch pad for the next assembly mission to the International Space > Station, NASA managers plan to hold a news conference at > approximately 3 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Nov. 29 to discuss the status of > the upcoming mission. The news conference will be at the Kennedy > Space Center, Fla., and begin after the conclusion of the traditional > Flight Readiness Review. > > The news conference follows a two-day assessment of preparations for > Discovery's mission, designated STS-116. The Nov. 28-29 meeting may > produce a number of key decisions about the assembly flight, > including selection of an official launch date. The current target > date for the Discovery's launch is no earlier than 9:36 p.m. EST on > Dec. 7. > > Briefing participants: > -- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations > -- Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program manager > -- Mike Leinbach, NASA launch director > > The start of the news conference will depend on the ending time of the > Review. It will air live on NASA TV. > > For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, > visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv > > For STS-116 crew and mission information, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle > > > -end- > > > > To subscribe to the list, send a message to: > hqnews-subscribe(a)mediaservices.nasa.gov > To remove your address from the list, send a message to: > hqnews-unsubscribe(a)mediaservices.nasa.gov > >

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-20 22:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 20 Nov '06

20 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-20 22:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany Successful Mon 2006-11-20 15:57 UTC via telebridge VK5ZAI (***) Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, direct via VE3UR Successful Mon 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC 75 deg (***) During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 258. (***) QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-20 22:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-11-20 22:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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STSORBIT Plus Author David Ransom SK
by Arthur Rowe 20 Nov '06

20 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 I HAVE BEEN USING AND STILL USE THE STS ORBIT PROGRAM SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-323.08 STSORBIT Plus Author David Ransom SK AMSAT News Service Bulletin 323.08 >From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD. November 19, 2006 To All RADIO AMATEURS BID: $ANS-323.08 Ken Ernandes, N2WWD told AMSAT the sad news of the passing of STSORBIT PLUS author David Ransom on 5 November 2006. While not a ham, Dave was a long-time supporter of AMSAT and a major player in providing Space Shuttle orbital data to the AMSAT and NASA communities. Dave and Ken worked collaboratively to modify STSORBIT PLUS such that it would provide [manual] Doppler tuning information, thus making the software a useful tool for amateur satellite communications. Amateur Satellite operators around the world will remember Dave for his contributions to AMSAT and will miss him. [ANS thanks Ken Ernandes, N2WWD for the above information]

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Windows XP time sync
by Dieter Schliemann 20 Nov '06

20 Nov '06

Hi In getting ready for the two ARISS contacts this morning, I noticed the two of my Windows XP computers showed time about one minute different between the two computers. When I tried to synchronize time by going to settings/control panel/date and time/internet time and do "Update Now", it failed with both of the time servers given there. I put in the time server: time-A.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov (letter L in small in bldrdoc) and it worked. Now these two computers have the same and correct time again. I thought you may want to know, for accurate ISS tracking purposes, especially during ARISS events. 73 de Dieter kx4y Dieter K. Schliemann, kx4y - zs6bbh - hs0zcn ARISS EchoLink audio feed team member 1803 Roseberry Drive, Scottsboro, AL 35769-3960, USA Home Phone - (256) 259-3900 Cell Phone - (256) 599-0581 (only on when away from home) IRLP node 4713, EchoLink node 47135 Skype user ID: zs6bbh If you prefer not to get future notices of upcoming ARISS events with audio feeds into EchoLink, please send me an e-mail to that effect and will be glad to oblige.

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2 Line ISS Keps 11-19
by Dave Larsen PhD 18 Nov '06

18 Nov '06

ISS 1 25544U 98067A 06322.98842593 .00018062 00000-0 10640-3 0 937 2 25544 051.6324 109.5666 0011248 231.8242 258.7157 15.78208629457586

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ISS STATUS REPORT #06-50
by Arthur Rowe 17 Nov '06

17 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 International Space Station Status Report #06-50 3 p.m. CST Friday, Nov. 17, 2006 Expedition 13 Crew Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and flight engineers Mikhail Tyurin and Thomas Reiter continue to prepare for a spacewalk Wednesday, Nov. 22 out of the International Space Station's Russian Pirs Docking Compartment airlock. Lopez-Alegria, who will make his sixth spacewalk, and Tyurin, with three previous spacewalks to his credit, climbed into Russian Orlan spacesuits Friday to test all systems and communications gear. This ended a week during which the spacewalkers also installed U.S. lights on their suit helmets, reviewed procedures for the extravehicular activity and performed leak checks on the Progress 22 craft currently docked to the Pirs airlock. The six-hour spacewalk includes a commercial golf demonstration by Tyurin. Under a commercial agreement between the Russian Federal Space Agency and a Canadian golf company, Tyurin will hit a golf ball into space from a spring-mounted tee on the ladder next to the hatch of Pirs. The ball will be tapped over the back of the station's Russian segment so that the ball travels away from the complex. NASA flight controllers have calculated that it will burn up in the atmosphere in about three days. The ball weighs much less than the standard 45 gram golf ball. The ball used for this demonstration weighs three grams, approximately the weight of three paper clips. During the spacewalk, Tyurin will examine part of the ISS Progress 23 cargo ship. One of the antennas for the Progress' automated docking system may have failed to fold back when the spacecraft approached the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module on Oct. 26. If it's necessary, Tyurin will manually retract that antenna. Also, Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin will reposition a communications antenna on the aft end of Zvezda associated with next year’s docking of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, check restraining bolts on one of two Russian cargo cranes attached to Pirs and deploy an experiment to measure solar flares. NASA TV coverage of the spacewalk on Nov. 22 begins at 4 p.m. CST. The excursion begins one hour later. Wednesday marked the first live high-definition television broadcast from space. It featured Lopez-Alegria, with Reiter serving as camera operator. The broadcasts were conducted by NHK Television in Japan and the Discovery HD Theater. Known as the Space Video Gateway, the HD system onboard transmits high bandwidth digital television signals to the ground through a computer. Previously, high-definition video was recorded and then returned to Earth for viewing. Flight controllers this week continued to test one of the station's four control moment gyroscopes (CMGs). CMG-3 exhibited high vibrations and electrical currents in the past and was shut down Oct. 9. The recent test results will be compared to a previous series of tests to provide additional data on the state of the gyroscope’s accelerometer, lubricant and lubrication of the spin bearings. CMG-3 is scheduled to be removed and replaced on the STS-118 shuttle mission, targeted for launch in June 2007. The gyroscope will be stowed and returned to Earth on the STS-122 mission next fall. The station continues to function on three healthy CMGs without affecting operations. Reiter also continued work this week on a suite of European Space Agency science experiments, including one called CASPER. Its objective is to develop ways to help astronauts sleep better during long-duration missions. Alteino Long Term Monitoring of Cosmic Rays or ALTCRISS is another experiment Reiter performed. It is allowing scientists to study the effects of shielding on cosmic rays. The information gained may help engineers better understand the radiation environment and how to provide efficient shielding against it. The next station status report will be issued early Nov. 23 after the spacewalk, or earlier if events warrant. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station ###

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Crabs Give Blood for Space Travel
by Arthur Rowe 17 Nov '06

17 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Crabs Give Blood for Space Travel 11.16.2006 Soon, astronauts onboard the ISS will test a high-tech medical device that uses primitive enzymes from horseshoe crabs to diagnose human illness. Nov. 16, 2006: Picture this: You're on a mission to Mars, halfway there from Earth, and you're not feeling well. Your throat hurts when you swallow, your forehead is hot. You don't want to get sick or infect your crewmates. Should you take an antibiotic? If so, which kind? With a new biological laboratory on a chip being developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in partnership with outside researchers, you may be able to get the answer in as little as five minutes. The mini-lab goes by the maxi-acronym LOCAD-PTS, which stands for Lab-On-a-Chip Application Development–Portable Test System. The latest version is a handheld device slated for launch this December aboard shuttle mission STS-116 for testing on the International Space Station. FOR THE REST OF THE STORY GO TO: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/16nov_locad.htm?list833780

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ARISS Event - Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, Mon (Nov 20) at 16:35 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 16 Nov '06

16 Nov '06

An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada on Monday 20 Nov. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 16:35 UTC. The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and VE3UR. The contact should be audible to anyone in eastern portions of Canada and the Northeastern USA . Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. Additional listening options are listed below. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. IRLP - Connect to the IRLP reflector 9010. You may also connect via the IRLP Discovery website at http://www.discoveryreflector.ca/listen.htm. EchoLink - The audio from this contact will be available on the EchoLink *AMSAT* (node 101 377) and the *JK1ZRW* (node 277 208) conference rooms. Please connect to the *JK1ZRW* server to keep the load light on the *AMSAT* server. This will ensure good audio quality for all listeners. Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. With each supply shipment to the ISS sending more water from Earth, we are taking away a precious resource. A colony on the moon would need lots of water which would be obtained from our finite supply on Earth. Will this water be returned or is it lost forever? 2. With business tycoons like Richard Branson looking to expand their companies into the cosmos via commercialized space travel, has it now been decided that space travel is to become a routine commercial practice? 3. The Canadian Space Agency and NASA are have you testing your hand eye co-ordination on the shuttle. Do you play video games on the ISS as well as doing this experiment? 4. Chris Hadfield was calm when he told us about the Russian Progress 23 cargo ship having difficulties docking with the ISS and the ISS losing power. Are all astronauts that calm when under pressure? 5. What is your favourite song to play on the guitar while on the ISS? 6. Mr. Hadfield told us Russian bread has a four year shelf life. Does it taste the same after 4 years of not being eaten? 7. Your mission has 4 EVA'S. Have you ever stood on the end of Canadarm2? 8. Luke Skywalker fought a spherical droid in Star Wars. Are the two SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites) on the ISS like pets to you? 9. Can you see heaven from the ISS? 10. If you got appendicitis aboard the ISS what can you do about it? 11. You are doing a study related to immune function and virus activity. Has an astronaut or cosmonaut ever fallen ill while aboard the ISS, and if so what health measures were taken? 12. In your personal opinion do you believe that there is or ever was, life on other planets, such as Mars? 13. On the ISS, are there any communication problems between the crew due to language and cultural differences? 14. When the Progress cargo ship was docking, you had a problem with the antenna. ARISS became your mode of communication to Earth. How did you fix the antenna retraction problem? 15. Mr. Hadfield said he brought a guitar to the ISS. Does it go out of tune more in space than Earth? 16. How do you protect yourself from germs with limited amounts of water on the ISS? On Earth we handwash. 17. SPHERES are like Tamagotchis. Do the red and blue ones shut down when you go to bed? 18. When you look out the window of the ISS do you see the planets and which one is your favourite? 19. You 're measuring the exposure of cosmic radiation of your crew. Are you concerned about getting cancer? 20. You are trying to grow lentil seeds in artificial gravity. Have they sprouted? 21. For Mikhail Tyruin. Would a "hole in one" be hitting the (Canadian E21) golf ball into a crater on the moon? Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS has not been functioning in the automatic modes properly and may be silent more than usual. Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Next planned event(s): TBD ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries. ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada). Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO

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ARISS Event - Mannheim Museum, Germany contact, Mon (Nov 20) at 15:57 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 16 Nov '06

16 Nov '06

An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany on Monday 20 Nov. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 15:57 UTC. The contact will be a telebridge between stations NA1SS and VK5ZAI. The contact should be audible to anyone in southeastern portions of Australia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. Additional listening options are listed below. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in German. IRLP - Connect to the IRLP reflector 9010. You may also connect via the IRLP Discovery website at http://www.discoveryreflector.ca/listen.htm. EchoLink - The audio from this contact will be available on the EchoLink *AMSAT* (node 101 377) and the *JK1ZRW* (node 277 208) conference rooms. Please connect to the *JK1ZRW* server to keep the load light on the *AMSAT* server. This will ensure good audio quality for all listeners. _________________________________ AUDIO STREAMING AND AUDIO REPLAY PARTICIPANT INFORMATION: To join the event: URL: https://e-meetings.mci.com CONFERENCE NUMBER: 2545537 PASSCODE: SPACE STATIO To access the Audio Replay of this call, all parties can: 1. Go to the URL listed above. 2. Choose Audio Streaming under Join Events. 3. Enter the conference number and passcode. (Note that if this is a recurring event, multiple dates may be listed.) Replays are available for 30 days after the live event._________________________________ Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Thomas, du bist auf der ISS, 340 km über der Erdoberfläche. Wenn du jetzt aus dem Fenster guckst, was siehst du da? 2. Wir haben jetzt 17 Uhr, das heißt bei uns auf der Erde in Deutschland haben die meisten Leute bald Feierabend. An welchem Punkt in deinem Tagesablauf bist du denn im Moment, ordne das doch bitte mal für uns ein! . 3. Was machst du, wenn du Feierabend hast? 4. Du bist jetzt gut vier Monate im All. Hattest du auch schon einen Außeneinsatz? 5. Gibt es denn außerhalb der Raumstation überhaupt noch ein bisschen Luft zum Atmen? 6. Vier Monate im All, das heißt eben auch vier Monate schwerelos herumschweben. Da bauen die Muskeln ganz schön ab. Merkst du denn schon, wie das auch an dir zehrt? 7. Welche körperlichen Voraussetzungen muss man denn überhaupt mitbringen, um Astronaut werden zu können? 8. Körperlich bist du also fit. Aber was macht ihr denn, wenn ihr dort oben jetzt Zahnschmerzen bekommt? 9. Gibt es denn auch irgendwelche speziellen Krankheiten, die man nur im All bekommen kann? 10. Hast du darunter gelitten (unter Raumkrankheit)? 11.Was gab es denn heute Mittag bei euch zu essen? 12. Kriegt jeder von euch Drei dasselbe zu essen? 13. Bekommst du denn Heimweh, wenn du ans Essen mit Messer und Gabel denkst? 14. Deine Frau und deine zwei Söhne wirst du wahrscheinlich am meisten vermissen. Konntet ihr denn Kontakt halten während der ganzen Zeit? 15. Im Dezember geht es ja wieder zurück zur Erde. Wie lange braucht ihr denn, um wieder hier unten anzukommen? 16. Für den Flug rauf zur ISS braucht man aber erstaunlich lange. Wieso ist das so? Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS has not been functioning in the automatic modes properly and may be silent more than usual. Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Next planned event(s): Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC direct via VE3UR ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries. ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada). Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-16 18:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 16 Nov '06

16 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-16 18:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany Mon 2006-11-20 15:57 UTC via telebridge VK5ZAI Thomas Reiter contact, questions now posted in German and English (***) Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, direct via VE3UR Mon 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC 75 deg During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 256. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-16 18:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-11-10 19:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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NASA TV Coverage Set for ISS Spacewalk
by Arthur Rowe 16 Nov '06

16 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Katherine Trinidad Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4769 James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 Nov. 14, 2006 Briefing, NASA TV Coverage Set for Space Station Spacewalk Houston - NASA officials will hold a briefing at 1 p.m. CST Thursday, Nov. 16, to discuss an upcoming spacewalk from the International Space Station. The six-hour spacewalk is planned for the night before Thanksgiving. On Nov. 22, Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin will retrieve equipment and photograph the station's Russian Zvezda Service Module’s docking port. Tyurin also will hit a golf ball from a specially designed tee mounted on the Pirs airlock as part of a Russian commercial activity. Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter will remain inside the station tending to systems during the spacewalk. Both the preview briefing and the spacewalk will be broadcast live on NASA Television. During the briefing, questions will be taken from media at participating NASA sites. Journalists must contact their preferred NASA location by Nov. 15 for participation details. Briefing participants include: -- Kirk Shireman, deputy International Space Station program manager -- Holly Ridings, lead spacewalk flight director -- Paul Boehm, Expedition 14 lead spacewalk officer -- Julie Robinson, International Space Station acting program scientist The spacewalk coverage begins at 4 p.m. on NASA TV and the agency's Internet homepage. The spacewalk begins at 5 p.m. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and Internet streaming video information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the space station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station

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First Live HDTV Broadcast From Space
by Arthur Rowe 16 Nov '06

16 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *First Live HDTV Broadcast From Space* The first live HDTV broadcast from space took place Wednesday. It featured Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter, serving as camera operator. The broadcast was carried by Discovery HD Theater and NHK and was also shown at Discovery Channel stores. Known as the Space Video Gateway, the system transmits high bandwidth digital television signals to the ground that are not only spectacular, but also valuable to scientists, engineers and managers. More testing of one of the station's four control moment gyros (CMG-3) took place Wednesday. Engineers repeated some of the CMG-3 testing that was performed earlier. The results will be compared to a previous test and provide additional data on the state of the accelerometer, lubricant and lubrication of the spin bearings. CMG-3 is scheduled to be removed and replaced on shuttle mission STS-118 next summer. The suspect CMG will be stowed on an external stowage platform on the station and will be returned to Earth on the STS-122 mission next fall. The Expedition 14 crew continues spacewalk preparations. The Nov. 22 spacewalk includes a commercial golf experiment performed by Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin. This experiment is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between Russia and the United States and to commemorate the golf shot of Alan Shepard Jr. on the moon. + Read more about Expedition 14 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/index.ht…> + View crew's daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html> NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory. + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + Read the press release <http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/oct/HQ_06337_new_station_crew.html>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-15 18:15 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 15 Nov '06

15 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-15 18:15 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany 2006-11-20 15:57 UTC via telebridge VK5ZAI (***) Thomas Reiter contact Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, direct via VE3UR Mon 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC 75 deg During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 256. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-15 18:15 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-11-10 19:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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RAFT USNA PROJECT
by Arthur Rowe 11 Nov '06

11 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > > *Latest Docs:* See*[RAFT-docs]* > <http://www.ew.usna.edu/%7Ebruninga/raft-docs.html> for all the detail > photos, documents, drawings and milestones. > > *Current Status:* Awaiting launch on STS-116 on 6 December. Delivered > 25 Jan 2006 to JSC Houston for vibration testing. Then 17 July 2006 to > Kennedy Space Center for Integration with the Shuttle STS-116 for > launch. **Photo above is delivery from USNA and testing the > separation system in a Zero-G flight. The current debate is the > deployment altitude to safely avoid re-contact with ISS. The plot > below shows how our original altitude ot 180 has been reduced to 175, > and now 165 is being considered which would shorten the life to only 2 > months or less: > > **GO TO FOR THE COMPLETE HISTORY AND CAPABILITIES OF THE "RAFT PROJECT"- > > http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/raft.html > > >

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ARISS contacts General info
by AJ9N＠aol.com 10 Nov '06

10 Nov '06

Hi all, I see that Kenneth N5VHO and Tim W6MU have addressed some of the questions about ARISS contacts. Here is a bit more. I post the information as fast as I get it and thus there could be changes that happen rapidly; after all this is real space business and ARISS is a guest. There have been times when the contact time changed 2 or 3 times in a day and I try to always post the latest info. Please listen in on the contacts if you are in the footprint. ARISS uses 145.800 MHz FM as the international downlink. Even a simple scanner can be used to hear at least part of a contact if you are in the footprint. About 1/3 of the school contacts are handled via the ARISS Telebridge system. The Telebridge system allows for schools that may not have the technical ability to handle a direct contact but still be able to have a wonderful educational activity. It also allows for ARISS to work in conjunction with the ISS crew work schedules, orbital mechanics, etc. Remember 3 things must happen simultaneously; the crew must be awake and available, the school must be in session, and the ISS must be over the ground station. The ARISS ham radio Telebridge ground stations are located in Australia, Hawaii, California, Texas, Maryland, Belgium, and South Africa. All of these locations have an outstanding satellite station equipped with a phone patch. Verizon provides for the Telebridge hookup; this is truly an international phone hookup that they donate time and personnel for and we at ARISS thank them for their contributions. The participants for a typical Telebridge contact are the school, the ARISS ground station, and an ARISS moderator who acts as net control. The remaining contacts are direct; meaning that all of the equipment is at the school. Think of it as your worst case Field Day exercise. It is not that difficulty technically, but you are dealing with anywhere from 500 to 1000 non-hams who think everything should be perfect. If you ever get the chance to help out or to even be the control op; please do so as I think you will find it pretty rewarding. I always tell the schools to plan on 500 to 700 people hours of prep time; all for 10 minutes of contact time. They always think I am crazy until after the contact and then it hits them as to the impact. Because we realize that many of you wish to listen in but may be out of the footprint, ARISS tries to have a live retransmission via IRLP, Echolink, as a live audio web stream, or a live video web stream. All Telebridge contacts will be able to be on the web courtesy of Verizon and their webservices. ARISS volunteers then pick up that audio stream and put it on Echolink and IRLP. If the contact is a direct one, then ARISS works with the school to determine if a retransmission is possible via IRLP, Echolink, or the web. In any case, as soon as I know whether the contact is going to be retransmitted, I post that information. There have been times when a school decided at the last minute to do a live retransmission, so I suggest you check the ARISS announcements right before a contact to get the most up to date info. If you have not done an ARISS contact, consider finding a school, volunteering, getting the application in, and doing one. I have been the control op for 4 and a mentor for almost 30 and each has been a blast. The present wait time is between 1.5 and 2.5 years. The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-10 19:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt There are several ARISS web sites: English: http://www.rac.ca/ariss/ French: http://c.avmdti.free.fr/ariss/index.htm ARISS Europe: http://www.ariss-eu.org/ ARISS Japan: http://www.jarl.or.jp/ariss/ I have also seen comments along the way about what ARISS can and cannot do as far as scheduling. As a school works it way through the scheduling process, it eventually gets to be about 6 months out from a contact date and an ARISS mentor is assigned. So the really hard work may go for about 6 months; serious business where ARISS works with the ISS planners and the school to get a date and for the school to be prepared. But we are only guests and we can only put in our requests for contact times; we can never demand. Sometimes we get our desired times; sometimes it is back to the drawing board. So once again, check for my postings as well as info from the other ARISS mentors for the very latest schedule. I hope this helps explain a bit more on how ARISS works to provide a truly out of this world educational experience. 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS Mentors

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ISS STATUS REPORT #06-49
by Arthur Rowe 10 Nov '06

10 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *International Space Station Status Report #06-49* *3 p.m. CST Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006* *Expedition 13 Crew* The International Space Station crewmembers spent this week getting ready for an upcoming spacewalk, performing scientific research and voting in the elections back on Earth. Throughout the week, the crew prepared the Pirs docking compartment for the Nov. 22 spacewalk by Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin. They gathered tools and equipment they will use on the nearly six-hour spacewalk. Next week, they will prepare the Russian Orlan spacesuits they will wear for the excursion. During the spacewalk, they will relocate a communications antenna, install new experiment hardware and photograph a Kurs rendezvous system antenna on the Progress supply ship that docked to the Zvezda module’s aft docking port last month. Tyurin will also conduct a Russian commercial demonstration by hitting a golf ball teed up on the exterior of Pirs. A top priority for Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter this week was packing material destined to return to Earth on the Space Shuttle Discovery in December. Lopez-Alegria completed a routine checkout of the Mobile Servicing System in support of that shuttle assembly flight. On mission STS-116, targeted to launch Dec.6/7, the shuttle crew will deliver another component of the station’s truss structure and perform spacewalks to rewire the station's electrical system. The shuttle crew includes astronaut Suni Williams, who will relieve Reiter on board. Reiter will have spent six months on the complex. Lopez-Alegria, the NASA ISS Science Officer for Expedition 14, collected his third set of blood and urine samples for the Nutritional Status Assessment, or Nutrition experiment. This experiment measures physiological indicators of the changes in the human body during spaceflight. The samples are stored in the Minus-Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). Once returned to Earth the blood and urine samples will be analyzed to understand a wide variety of systems, including markers of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, vitamin and mineral status and hormonal changes and how they relate to stress, bone and muscle metabolism. The findings are expected to give researchers a better understanding of what happens to crewmembers in space and when it happens during a mission. It also will help to define nutritional requirements and develop food systems for future missions to the moon and Mars. Working hundreds of miles away from home didn’t stop Lopez-Alegria from participating in this week’s general election. Texas law permits residents who happen to be on orbit on Election Day to cast a ballot from space -- it was first done by David Wolf from the Mir space station in 1997. Lopez-Alegria made his choices on an encrypted computer ballot that was downlinked to Mission Control and forwarded to the county clerk’s office in Houston for tabulation. The next station status report will be issued Nov. 17, or earlier if events warrant. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities: http://www.nasa.gov/station

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-10 19:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 10 Nov '06

10 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-10 19:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: "Henri d'Haese" primary school in Gentbrugge, Belgium (formerly Flanders Science Festival 27-29 October 2006 Ghent, Belgium)via telebridge W5RRR Successful Fri 2006-11-10 14:37 UTC via W5RRR 47 deg (***) Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN Thomas Reiter contact Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, direct via VE3UR Mon 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC 75 deg During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 256. (***) QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-10 19:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-11-10 19:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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STS-116 - RAFT - PCSAT2
by Keith N4ZQ 10 Nov '06

10 Nov '06

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FW: ARISS Event - Rescheduled Flanders Science Festival contact, Fri (Nov 10) at 14:37 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 10 Nov '06

10 Nov '06

The time issue was a cut and past error, My apologies. A telebridge is when the ISS uses the amateur radio to talk to a ground station and it tied into a phone patch so the school does not have to get up at 3 AM in order to have a direct pass. Sometimes the telebridge option is used when no third party arrangements are available for the school. Does that help? Kenneth - N5VHO -----Original Message----- From: Hugh_m0wye [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 2:47 AM To: Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] Subject: Re: [sarex] ARISS Event - Rescheduled Flanders Science Festival contact, Fri (Nov 10) at 14:37 UTC Group, This is the second time ARISS has posted the announcment that the School contact WILL take place on October 10th this year. Perhaps like NASA, they also have a "year end" issue with their computer. :-) Also, there is no explanation in the FAQs about what a "Telebridge" is. I assume it is some internet link, in which case one wonders if it really has anything to do with amateur radio. We certainly won't be able to "listen in" on 145.800 as I have done in the past - shame. 73 to all Hugh M0WYE ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR]" <kenneth.g.ransom(a)nasa.gov> To: <SAREX(a)AMSAT.Org> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 7:29 PM Subject: [sarex] ARISS Event - Rescheduled Flanders Science Festival contact, Fri (Nov 10) at 14:37 UTC > An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has > been planned with students at Henri d'Haese" primary school in > Gentbrugge, Belgium who were part of the Flanders Science Festival. > The contact was aborted due to delays in the Progress docking and has > been reschedule for Friday, 10 Oct 2006. The event is scheduled to > begin at approximately 14:37 UTC. > > The contact will be a telebridge between stations NA1SS and W5RRR. The > contact should be audible to anyone in southeastern portions of the > United States. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the > 145.80 MHz downlink. Additional listening options are listed below. > The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. > > IRLP - Connect to the IRLP reflector 9010. > You may also connect via the IRLP Discovery website at > http://www.discoveryreflector.ca/listen.htm. > > EchoLink - The audio from this contact will be available on the > EchoLink *AMSAT* (node 101 377) and the *JK1ZRW* (node 277 208) > conference rooms. Please connect to the *JK1ZRW* server to keep the > load light on the *AMSAT* server. This will ensure good audio quality > for all listeners. > > _________________________________ > AUDIO STREAMING AND AUDIO REPLAY PARTICIPANT INFORMATION: > > To join the event: > URL: https://e-meetings.mci.com > CONFERENCE NUMBER: 2403776 > PASSCODE: SPACE STATIO > > > To access the Audio Replay of this call, all parties can: > 1. Go to the URL listed above. > 2. Choose Audio Streaming under Join Events. > 3. Enter the conference number and passcode. (Note that if this is a > recurring event, multiple dates may be listed.) Replays are available > for 30 days after the live event._________________________________ > > > Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: > > 1. Do you miss your family up there? > 2. Is it difficult to walk on an E.V.A? > 3. How does it feel like to sleep in space? > 4. What is the view outside looking like (dark, shiny)? > 5. Can you see the opening in the ozone layer on earth, from there up? > 6. What kind of tests or work you have to do? > 7. What was the feeling the first time you where in space? > 8. What do you miss the most in space? > 9. Can you see meteorological events on earth up there? > 10. How does your family react when you are so far away? > 11. What are you going to miss most when you are back from space? > 12. Do you ever feel scared? > 13. What was the most beautiful thing you saw in space? > 14. Can you use your own senses to feel ? > 15. Why did NASA prefer to send people instead of robots? > 16. Has this spacetrip made your dream come through? > 17. Would you like to live up there for a longer time? > 18. Why did the agencies choose this crew for this mission? > 19. What do you do in your spare time in space? > 20. Are you feeling sick sometimes when you are moving around all the > time? > > Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS has not been functioning > in the automatic modes properly and may be silent more than usual. > Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at > http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . > > Next planned event(s): > Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, > Germany 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN Centre Hastings > Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC direct via > VE3UR > > > ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the > participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, > JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from > participating countries. > > ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement > of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the > International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, > first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize > youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further > information on the ARISS program is available on the website > http://www.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of > Canada). > > Thank you & 73, > Kenneth - N5VHO > > > ---- > Sent via sarex(a)amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex

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Re: ARISS Event - Rescheduled Flanders Science Festival
by Hugh_m0wye 10 Nov '06

10 Nov '06

Group, This is the second time ARISS has posted the announcment that the School contact WILL take place on October 10th this year. Perhaps like NASA, they also have a "year end" issue with their computer. :-) Also, there is no explanation in the FAQs about what a "Telebridge" is. I assume it is some internet link, in which case one wonders if it really has anything to do with amateur radio. We certainly won't be able to "listen in" on 145.800 as I have done in the past - shame. 73 to all Hugh M0WYE ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR]" <kenneth.g.ransom(a)nasa.gov> To: <SAREX(a)AMSAT.Org> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 7:29 PM Subject: [sarex] ARISS Event - Rescheduled Flanders Science Festival contact, Fri (Nov 10) at 14:37 UTC > An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has > been planned with students at Henri d'Haese" primary school in > Gentbrugge, Belgium who were part of the Flanders Science Festival. The > contact was aborted due to delays in the Progress docking and has been > reschedule for Friday, 10 Oct 2006. The event is scheduled to begin at > approximately 14:37 UTC. > > The contact will be a telebridge between stations NA1SS and W5RRR. The > contact should be audible to anyone in southeastern portions of the > United States. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 > MHz downlink. Additional listening options are listed below. The > participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. >

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-08 22:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 09 Nov '06

09 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-08 22:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: "Henri d'Haese" primary school in Gentbrugge, Belgium (formerly Flanders Science Festival 27-29 October 2006 Ghent, Belgium)via telebridge W5RRR Fri 2006-11-10 14:37 UTC via W5RRR 47 deg Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN Thomas Reiter contact Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, direct via VE3UR (***) Mon 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC 75 deg (***) During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 255. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-08 22:45 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-09-27 02:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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EXP 14 STATUS REPORT #SS06-49
by Arthur Rowe 09 Nov '06

09 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Nov. 9, 2006 > > Grey Hautaluoma > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-0668 > > James Hartsfield > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > STATUS REPORT: SS06-049 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS06-049 > > The International Space Station crewmembers spent this week getting > ready for an upcoming spacewalk, performing scientific research and > voting in the U.S. elections back on Earth. > > Throughout the week the crew prepared the Pirs docking compartment for > the Nov. 22 spacewalk by Expedition 14 Commander Michael > Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin. The astronauts > gathered tools and equipment they will use on the nearly six-hour > spacewalk. > > Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin next week will prepare the Russian Orlan > spacesuits they will wear for the excursion. During the spacewalk > they will relocate a communications antenna, install new experiment > hardware and photograph a Kurs rendezvous system antenna on the > Progress supply ship that docked last month to the Zvezda module's > aft docking port. Tyurin also will conduct a Russian commercial > demonstration by hitting a golf ball teed up on the exterior of Pirs. > > A top priority for Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter this week was packing > material destined to return to Earth on the Space Shuttle Discovery > in December. Lopez-Alegria completed a routine checkout of the Mobile > Servicing System that moves the station's robotic arm up and down the > truss, in support of that shuttle assembly flight. > > On mission STS-116, targeted to launch Dec. 6/7, the shuttle crew will > deliver another component of the station's girder-like truss > structure and perform spacewalks to rewire the station's electrical > system. The shuttle crew includes astronaut Suni Williams, who will > relieve Reiter on board. Reiter will have spent six months on the > complex. > > Lopez-Alegria, the NASA International Space Station Science Officer > for Expedition 14, collected his third set of blood and urine samples > for the Nutritional Status Assessment experiment. This experiment > measures physiological indicators of the changes in the human body > during spaceflight. > > The samples are stored in the Minus-Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer > aboard the station. Once returned to Earth the blood and urine > samples will be analyzed to understand a wide variety of bodily > systems, including hormonal changes and how they relate to stress, > bone and muscle metabolism. Scientists will also look at markers to > measure bone metabolism, oxidative damage, and vitamin and mineral > status. > > These findings are expected to give researchers a better understanding > of what happens to crewmembers in space and when it happens. It also > will help to define nutritional requirements and develop food systems > for future missions to the moon and Mars. > > Working hundreds of miles away from home didn't stop Lopez-Alegria > from participating in this week's general election. Texas law permits > residents who happen to be in orbit on Election Day to cast a ballot > from space. This was first done by David Wolf from the Mir space > station in 1997. Lopez-Alegria made his choices on an encrypted > computer ballot that was downlinked to Mission Control and forwarded > to the county clerk's office in Houston for tabulation. > > The next station status report will be issued Nov. 17, or earlier if > events warrant. For more about the crew's activities and station > sighting opportunities: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > >

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DISCOVERY AT THE LAUNCH PAD
by Arthur Rowe 09 Nov '06

09 Nov '06

> DISCOVERY AT THE LAUNCH PAD-GO > T0:http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/161883main_dawnroll_lg.jpg > > SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > > At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Discovery has > arrived at Launch Pad 39B following an overnight move from the > cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building. Perched atop the mobile launcher > platform and carried by a massive crawler transporter, the shuttle > assembly began the 4.2-mile journey at 12:29 a.m. EST and was > officially in place at the pad at 9:03 a.m. > > Meanwhile, the P5 integrated truss segment and SPACEHAB module are > already inside the environmentally controlled payload changeout room > at the launch pad. The payloads soon will be transferred into the > orbiter's waiting payload bay. > > The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and > construction flight 12A.1. The launch window opens Dec. 6. > > > > *STS-116 Mission* > + The crew > <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/index.html> > > + The mission > <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/mission_ov…> > > + The Integrated Truss Structure > <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html> > > ** >

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Station Crew Preps for Space Shuttle Docking
by Arthur Rowe 09 Nov '06

09 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Station Crew Preps for Space Shuttle Docking ISS014-E-07174 : Thomas Reiter cuts Mikhail Tyurin's hair Image above: Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter cuts Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin's hair in the Zarya module of the International Space Station. Reiter used hair clippers fashioned with a vacuum device to prevent freshly cut hair from being scattered throughout the module. Photo credit: NASA. GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html The Expedition 14 crew members continue to work this week on scientific experiments, station maintenance and activities related to the anticipated arrival of Space Shuttle Discovery in December. Over the weekend, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria concluded Expedition 14's first week-long session with EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students) by shutting down, disassembling and stowing the hardware. Nearly 6,600 students from around the globe participated in this most recent session with EarthKAM, a payload which allows students to submit requests and download images from an electronic still camera mounted in a window of the space station. Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin revisited the Elektron oxygen-generating system on Monday to perform routine maintenance. Early last week, Tyurin repaired and re-activated the unit, returning it to service for the first time since mid-September. Also on Monday, Tyurin and Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter practiced photography techniques to be used to capture imagery of Discovery's thermal heat shield during its final approach for docking on the STS-116 mission. Read more about Expedition 14 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/index.ht…> + View crew's daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html> NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory. + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + Read the press release <http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/oct/HQ_06337_new_station_crew.html>

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ARISS Event - Rescheduled Flanders Science Festival contact , Fri (Nov 10) at 14:37 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 09 Nov '06

09 Nov '06

An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Henri d'Haese" primary school in Gentbrugge, Belgium who were part of the Flanders Science Festival. The contact was aborted due to delays in the Progress docking and has been reschedule for Friday, 10 Oct 2006. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 14:37 UTC. The contact will be a telebridge between stations NA1SS and W5RRR. The contact should be audible to anyone in southeastern portions of the United States. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. Additional listening options are listed below. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. IRLP - Connect to the IRLP reflector 9010. You may also connect via the IRLP Discovery website at http://www.discoveryreflector.ca/listen.htm. EchoLink - The audio from this contact will be available on the EchoLink *AMSAT* (node 101 377) and the *JK1ZRW* (node 277 208) conference rooms. Please connect to the *JK1ZRW* server to keep the load light on the *AMSAT* server. This will ensure good audio quality for all listeners. _________________________________ AUDIO STREAMING AND AUDIO REPLAY PARTICIPANT INFORMATION: To join the event: URL: https://e-meetings.mci.com CONFERENCE NUMBER: 2403776 PASSCODE: SPACE STATIO To access the Audio Replay of this call, all parties can: 1. Go to the URL listed above. 2. Choose Audio Streaming under Join Events. 3. Enter the conference number and passcode. (Note that if this is a recurring event, multiple dates may be listed.) Replays are available for 30 days after the live event._________________________________ Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Do you miss your family up there? 2. Is it difficult to walk on an E.V.A? 3. How does it feel like to sleep in space? 4. What is the view outside looking like (dark, shiny)? 5. Can you see the opening in the ozone layer on earth, from there up? 6. What kind of tests or work you have to do? 7. What was the feeling the first time you where in space? 8. What do you miss the most in space? 9. Can you see meteorological events on earth up there? 10. How does your family react when you are so far away? 11. What are you going to miss most when you are back from space? 12. Do you ever feel scared? 13. What was the most beautiful thing you saw in space? 14. Can you use your own senses to feel ? 15. Why did NASA prefer to send people instead of robots? 16. Has this spacetrip made your dream come through? 17. Would you like to live up there for a longer time? 18. Why did the agencies choose this crew for this mission? 19. What do you do in your spare time in space? 20. Are you feeling sick sometimes when you are moving around all the time? Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS has not been functioning in the automatic modes properly and may be silent more than usual. Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Next planned event(s): Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, 2006-11-20 16:35 UTC direct via VE3UR ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries. ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada). Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-09 16:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 09 Nov '06

09 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-09 16:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: "Henri d'Haese" primary school in Gentbrugge, Belgium (formerly Flanders Science Festival 27-29 October 2006 Ghent, Belgium)via telebridge W5RRR (***) Fri 2006-11-10 14:37 UTC via W5RRR 47 deg Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN Thomas Reiter contact Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 255. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The ARISS (a joint effort of AMSAT, the ARRL, NASA, the ARISS international partners including Canada, Russia, the European Partners, and Japan) operations team wishes to announce the following very tentative schedule for ARISS school contacts. This schedule is very fluid and may change at the last minute. Remember that amateur radio use on the ISS is considered secondary. Please check the various AMSAT and ARISS webpages for the latest announcements. Changes from the last announcement are noted with (***). Also, please check MSNBC.com for possible live retransmissions (http://www.msnbc.com/m/lv/default.asp). Listen for the ISS on the downlink of 145.80 MHz. The crossband repeater has been active at times. The frequencies are uplink of 437.80 MHz and downlink of 145.80 MHz. For information about educational materials available from ISS partner space Agencies, please refer to links on the ARISS Frequently Asked Questions page. If you are interested in supporting an ARISS contact, then you must fill in an application. The ARISS operations mentor team will not accept a direct request to support an ARISS contact; the application must first be sent to the ARISS region coordinator. You should also note that many schools think that they can request a specific date and time. Once an application has been accepted the ARISS mentors will work with the school to determine a mutually agreeable date. There are several ARISS web sites: English: http://www.rac.ca/ariss/ French: http://c.avmdti.free.fr/ariss/index.htm ARISS Europe: http://www.ariss-eu.org/ ARISS Japan: http://www.jarl.or.jp/ariss/ Your completely filled out application should be returned to the nearest coordinating ARISS region if your specific region is not listed. E-mail is the preferred method of submitting an application. Here are the email addresses: ARISS-Canada and all other countries not covered: ve2ka(a)rac.ca (Daniel Lamoureux VE2KA) ARISS-Europe: jh.hahn(a)gmx.net (J. Hahn, DL3LUM / PA1MUC) ARISS-Japan and all Region 3 countries: iaru-r3(a)jarl.or.jp (Keigo Komuro JA1KAB) ARISS-Russia: n2ww(a)attbi.com (Valerie Agabekov N2WW/UA6HZ) ARISS-USA: ARISS(a)arrl.org (The American Radio Relay League) ***************************************************************************** QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ***************************************************************************** Other web sites that may be of interest include: http://www.arrl.org/sarex http://www.arrl.org/ariss http://www.amsat.org http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov http://spacelink.nasa.gov/index.html http://ehb2.gsfc.nasa.gov/edcats/educator_guide/ Latest ARISS announcements and news http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt Successful school list http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf The ISS Fan Club website is: http://www.issfanclub.com K1ELA has a website at: http://members.aol.com/k1ela/index.html ON6SAT has a website at: http://on6sat.com/links/ IRLP website at: http://www.discoveryreflector.ca This new site will have the links for simulcast contacts that have IRLP and Echolink. Friends and family of the Expedition 12 crew have put together a website: http://www.expedition12.com A listing of ARISS related magazine articles: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf Currently the list includes articles from CQ, CQ VHF, QST, and The AMSAT Journal. Please contact me directly if you have additional suggestions. Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB To let you in on how tough it is to schedule contacts, here are some of the constraints the ARISS mentors must work under: Each Increment is 26 weeks in length. For the next increment (14) we may not schedule: 1. Anything the first 3 weeks. 2. During EVA weeks 3. at least 2 weeks prior to the Increment change. 4. no contacts during meal and exercise periods. 5. no contacts during post-sleep and pre sleep (before 08:00 UTC and after 19:30 UTC) 6. contacts on the day of Progress docking or undocking are circumspect. During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Mike Fincke KE5AIT and Gennady Padalka RN3DT produced a video during their stay on Expedition 9. You can get the QuickTime version (209MB) or the Windows Media version (152MB). These files are huge, so only a broadband connection is recommended. Thanks Mike and Gennady! QuickTime: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/Video/Expedition9Tour.mov Windows Media: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/Video/Expedition9tourwmv.wmv A discussion on Doppler correction and the ISS frequencies may be found at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf This file was updated 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC ****************************************************************************** * ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUDIO STREAMING THAT IS PROVIDED BY MCI. 1. Go to designated homepage URL. 2. Click on Audioconferencing. 3. Click on Audio Streaming. 4. Click on Join. 5. Enter conference meeting number. 6. Enter passcode (case sensitive) and there are 11 letters max. 7. Enter name. 8. Enter email address. 9. Enter company, use ARISS or AMSAT if you want. 10. Enter title (optional). 11. Agree to agreement policy. 12. Click proceed. 13. Wait for contact to start. If you are there too early, then you will probably hear music. Contact streaming should start approximately 6 minutes before AOS. ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE USE OF IRLP AND ECHOLINK. IRLP website at: http://www.discoveryreflector.ca If using IRLP is more convenient for you than using EchoLink, please connect to the IRLP reflector 9010. The Discovery Reflector also has streaming audio available. Once on the main page, select “audio library” on the left sidebar. The prompt to join the audio stream is posted at the top of this page. More directly, you can go to http://www.discoveryreflector.ca:8000/listen.pls The audio stream will be delayed. Please give the EchoLInk EDU_NET server your preference over the EchoLink AMSAT server for your connection. This will keep the load light on the AMSAT server, assuring us of better audio quality all around. You can connect to the AMSAT Conference Room server at node 101377. Audio is also available at times on the JK1ZRW server at node 277208. Please connect to the *JK1ZRW* server to keep the load light on the *AMSAT* server. This will ensure good audio quality for all listeners. For latest information on ISS - school contact audio feeds into EchoLink, please check the AMSAT calendar of events at: http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/fieldops/events.php ****************************************************************************** * "Henri d'Haese" primary school in Gentbrugge, Belgium (formerly Flanders Science Festival 27-29 October 2006 Ghent, Belgium) (***) Contact is a go for: Fri 2006-11-10 14:37 UTC via W5RRR 47 deg Contact will be simulcast on IRLP, Echolink, and the web. Proposed questions for Flanders: 1. Do you miss your family up there? 2. Is it difficult to walk on an E.V.A? 3. How does it feel like to sleep in space? 4. What is the view outside looking like (dark, shiny)? 5. Can you see the opening in the ozone layer on earth, from there up? 6. What kind of tests or work you have to do? 7. What was the feeling the first time you where in space? 8. What do you miss the most in space? 9. Can you see meteorological events on earth up there? 10. How does your family react when you are so far away? 11. What are you going to miss most when you are back from space? 12. Do you ever feel scared? 13. What was the most beautiful thing you saw in space? 14. Can you use your own senses to feel? 15. Why did NASA prefer to send people instead of robots? 16. Has this spacetrip made your dream come through? 17. Would you like to live up there for a longer time? 18. Why did the agencies choose this crew for this mission? 19. What do you do in your spare time in space? 20. Are you feeling sick sometimes when you are moving around all the time? Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany Contact is a go for: 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN Thomas Reiter contact Erweiterte Realschule, Weiskirchen D-66709, Germany, direct via DN1ERW Contact postponed TBD UTC Scheduled to be a Thomas Reiter DF4TR contact using DP0ISS. Proposed questions for Erweiterte Realschule: 1. Welches Fach muss man studiert haben, um Astronaut zu werden? 2. Muss man sehr sportlich sein, um Astronaut zu werden? 3. Wie lange haben Sie sich für den Flug vorbereitet? 4. Wie ist die ISS amateurfunktechnisch ausgestattet? 5. Können die Funkgeräte in Dauerbetrieb bleiben oder würde dann zu viel Energie verbraucht? 6. Kann man aus der ISS mit bloßen Augen auch andere Planeten außer der Erde sehen? 7. Können Sie von der ISS aus Gebäude auf der Erde erkennen? 8. In Kalifornien gibt es häufig Flächenbrände. Konnten Sie welche von der ISS aus sehen? 9. Wie viele Sonnenaufgänge und -untergänge können Sie während einer Umrundung der Erde sehen und wie kontrollieren Sie Ihren persönlichen Tagesrhythmus? 10. Wie gestalten Sie Ihre Freizeit an Bord? 11. Wenn Sie Gitarre spielen, hört sich das in der ISS genauso an wie auf der Erde? 12. Wie sieht Ihr Tagesablauf aus? 13. Wann haben Sie das letzte Mal geduscht? 14. Lassen Sie sich einen Bart wachsen oder können Sie sich im All rasieren? 15. Muss man sich beim Schlafen anschnallen? 16. Schnarcht man in der Schwerelosigkeit, mehr oder weniger als auf der Erde? 17. Wenn jemand von der Crew ernsthaft erkrankt, wie kann ihm geholfen werden? 18. Spürt man einen Rückstoß, wenn man in der Schwerelosigkeit niest? 19. Wie fühlten Sie sich beim Start des Shuttles? 20. Muss man vor der Rückkehr auf die Erde ein besonderes Muskeltraining absolvieren? 21. Was essen Sie an Bord und wie essen Sie? 22. Was erwarten oder wünschen Sie sich von Ihrem weiteren Aufenthalt im All? Samuel-von-Pufendorf Gymnasium, D-09557 Floeha, Germany, direct via DL0GYM Contact postponed TBD UTC Scheduled to be a Thomas Reiter DF4TR contact. Proposed questions for Samuel-von-Pufendorf Gymnasium: 1. Lassen sich von Bord der ISS aus Vulkanausbrüche beobachten? 2. Besteht an Bord der ISS die Möglichkeit, Fernsehprogramme über Satellit zu empfangen? 3. Lassen sich terrestrische Rundfunksender im Weltraum empfangen? 4. Liess sich an Bord die Fussballweltmeisterschaft verfolgen? 5. Wirken sich verstärkte Sonnenaktivitäten auf die Raumstation aus? 6. Sind Polarlichter von Bord der Raumstation aus zu beobachten? 7. Kann man die Blitze eines Gewitters sehen? 8. Sind in dieser Flughöhe noch Einflüsse der Erdatmoshäre spürbar? 9. Hat das Wetter auf der Erde Einfluss auf die Arbeiten an Bord? 10. Sieht man das Abschmelzen von Polkappen und Gletschern? 11. Kann man die Ozonschicht sehen oder messen? 12. Kann man im Internet surfen und E-Mails empfangen oder verschicken? 13. Welche Massnahmen zur Vermeidung von Beschädigungen durch Weltraummüll werden getroffen? 14. Wird die ISS von kosmischen Teilchen getroffen? 15. Kann man andere Satelliten mit blossem Auge sehen? 16. Kann man an Bord der ISS mit dem Lötkolben arbeiten? 17. Müssen die Fenster der Raumstation geputzt werden? 18. Wie wird der Kontakt mit den Familienangehörigen aufrechterhalten? 19. In welcher Sprache unterhaltet ihr euch? 20. Gibt es persönliche Freizeit, z.B. um ein Buch zu lesen? McDonald College, North Strathfield, Australia, via TBD TBD UTC Proposed questions for McDonald College: 1. Are any of your five (5) senses affected in space? If so, how? 2. What are the major biological changes and how do you compensate for the changes to cope with the return to Earth? Also, is there a limit as to how long you can stay in a weightless environment without causing irreversible damage to the body? 3. When the shuttle or rocket takes off, we see the amount of vibration on TV. How do you cope with this when trying to view the instruments and press buttons without losing focus? 4. Psychologically, does being out in the exosphere with all those stars make you feel a certain way (for example, insignificant)? 5. Do water and liquid substances evaporate or dry the same way they do on earth? If not, how is it different? 6. How do you cope with going from a solitude environment in the space station to coming back to Earth, where there are lots of people? 7. Is it weird with it always being dark outside, and do you miss going outside? 8. What would a compass do in space? Would it point in one direction? 9. How did your body react when you went through the atmosphere and reached space? 10. What is the effect of space shrapnel or space junk on the space station, and have you hit any or seen any? 11. Does the space station have any gravity? 12. What is the purpose of your mission? If it was to investigate something, what is it, and what discoveries have you made? 13. Are there any special precautions needed when there is high solar activity or meteor showers? If so, what precautions do you take? Winterthurhalle, Winterthur, Switzerland, via telebridge TBD UTC Northlawn, St. Stephen, St. Anthony, Streator, IL, direct via KB9UPS / W9MKS TBD UTC Sherman Elementary School, Henrietta, New York, direct via W2SKY TBD UTC Centre Hastings Secondary, Madoc, Ontario, Canada, direct via VE3UR TBD UTC Proposed questions for Centre Hastings: (***) 1. With each supply shipment to the ISS sending more water from Earth, we are taking away a precious resource. A colony on the moon would need lots of water which would be obtained from our finite supply on Earth. Will this water be returned or is it lost forever? 2. With business tycoons like Richard Branson looking to expand their companies into the cosmos via commercialized space travel, has it now been decided that space travel is to become a routine commercial practise? 3. The Canadian Space Agency and NASA are have you testing your hand eye co-ordination on the shuttle. Do you play video games on the ISS as well as doing this experiment? 4. Chris Hadfield was calm when he told us about the Russian Progress 23 cargo ship having difficulties docking with the ISS and the ISS losing power. Are all astronauts that calm when under pressure? 5. What is your favourite song to play on the guitar while on the ISS? 6. Mr. Hadfield told us Russian bread has a four year shelf life. Does it taste the same after 4 years of not being eaten? 7. Your mission has 4 EVA'S. Have you ever stood on the end of Canadarm2? 8. Luke Skywalker fought a spherical droid in Star Wars. Are the two SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites) on the ISS like pets to you? 9. Can you see heaven from the ISS? 10. If you got appendicitis aboard the ISS what can you do about it? 11. You are doing a study related to immune function and virus activity. Has an astronaut or cosmonaut ever fallen ill while aboard the ISS, and if so what health measures were taken? 12. In your personal opinion do you believe that there is or ever was, life on other planets, such as Mars? 13. On the ISS, are there any communication problems between the crew due to language and cultural differences? 14. When the Progress cargo ship was docking, you had a problem with the antenna. ARISS became your mode of communication to Earth. How did you fix the antenna retraction problem? 15. Mr. Hadfield said he brought a guitar to the ISS. Does it go out of tune more in space than Earth? 16. How do you protect yourself from germs with limited amounts of water on the ISS? On Earth we handwash. 17. SPHERES are like Tamagotchis. Do the red and blue ones shut down when you go to bed? 18. When you look out the window of the ISS do you see the planets and which one is your favourite? 19. You're measuring the exposure of cosmic radiation of your crew. Are you concerned about getting cancer? 20. You are trying to grow lentil seeds in artificial gravity. Have they sprouted? 21. For Mikhail Tyruin. Would a "hole in one" be hitting the (Canadian E21) golf ball into a crater on the moon? Samuel Hearne Secondary School, Inuvik, NT, Canada, telebridge via TBD TBD UTC Escola Camilo Castelo Branco, Portugal 2790-096, Carnaxide, 2004-12-22, direct via CS1RAD TBD UTC Proposed questions for Escola Camilo Castelo Branco: 1. Before leaving for any mission in space, you have many months of preparation. Is the reality very different from the test you go through on Earth? 2. Isn’t it difficult to live in a small closed space during so many time? 3. What kind of food do you eat? 4. Is there any process of recycling water in space? If so, what is it? 5. How do you manage to keep the level of oxygen steady inside the spaceship? 6. How do you get rid of your waste? 7. Do you have any trouble in falling asleep? How do you distinguish if it’s day or night? 8. What’s the official language on the ISS? 9. What do you feel when you see the Earth from the space? What’s the feeling? 10. Isn’t it boring only to see stars, planets and space? 11. What do you miss the most when you are in space? 12. The relationship between you is strictly professional or have you become friends? Have you ever had any arguments? How did you solve them? 13. How can you repair the spaceship if it is somehow damaged? 14. For how long can you stay in space? Which is the maximum length of time? Is there a limit for the number of an astronaut’s voyages to space? 15. When you came back to Earth after a space voyage how do you adapt to gravity? Do you need any external help? What kind of help? 16. What kind of scientific research are you doing now? 17. What’s the importance of space research to scientific knowledge and technical progress? 18. What do you think about other planets colonization? Will it be possible or is it only fiction? Currently the ARISS operations team has a list of 60 schools that we hope will be able to have a contact during 2006. As the schedule becomes more solidified, we will be letting everyone know. Current plans call for an average of one scheduled school contact per week. 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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ISS COMPUTERS NOT UP TO DATE
by Arthur Rowe 09 Nov '06

09 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 November 7, 2006 Glitch may force NASA to launch shuttle early Dec. 6 slotted for Discovery BY TODD HALVORSON FLORIDA TODAY HOUSTON - NASA faces a Dec. 17 deadline to launch Discovery and avoid computer failures that could appear if the shuttle and its astronauts are flying during the year-end computer clock rollover from 2006 to 2007, officials said Monday. The next chance to launch would be Jan. 14. Here's the situation: FOR THE REST OF THE STORY GO TO: http://www.flatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061107/NEWS02/61107034…

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-08 21:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 08 Nov '06

08 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-08 21:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Flanders Science Festival, Ghent, Belgium, via telebridge W5RRR (***) Fri 2006-11-10 14:37 UTC via W5RRR 47 deg (***) Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. (***) Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN Thomas Reiter contact Watch for live IRLP, Echolink, and webcast. (***) During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 255. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-08 21:45 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-09-27 02:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-08 15:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 08 Nov '06

08 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-08 15:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Landesmuseum fuer Technik und Arbeit (Mannheim Museum), Mannheim, Germany 2006-11-20 14:42 UTC via telebridge WH6PN (***) Thomas Reiter contact (***) During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 255. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-08 15:45 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-09-27 02:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Prime time UK coverage of ISS contact
by Howard Long 08 Nov '06

08 Nov '06

Folks, Here is 4 1/2 minutes of footage of a networked UK show called "Pride of Britain" that went out last night during primetime. Amoung the many celebrities at the event were none other than Prince Charles and Tony Blair. http:/www.g6lvb.com/Neston/NestonPOB.mpg (41Mb) http:/www.g6lvb.com/Neston/NestonPOBLo.mpg (12Mb) 73, Howard G6LVB

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EXP 14 REPORT #SS06-48
by Arthur Rowe 03 Nov '06

03 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 International Space Station Status Report: SS06-048 Repair of an oxygen generator, robotic arm operations and cargo unpacking were the top priorities aboard the International Space Station this week. On Monday, Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin installed new valves and cables to repair the Elektron oxygen-generation unit which shut down in mid-September. Tyurin re-activated it after installing the new parts, and the Elektron is supplying oxygen for the cabin atmosphere. The crew unpacked most of the items from the recently arrived Russian Progress cargo ship including the Elektron parts, fresh food and other systems hardware. The rest will be unpacked as needed and as time permits. Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria worked on robotics proficiency tasks throughout the week. At the start of the week, ground controllers relocated the Mobile Transporter to a different worksite on the station's truss. On Wednesday, Lopez-Alegria maneuvered the Canadarm2 robotic arm over to the transporter and its operating base from the arm's normal home base on the Destiny Lab. The free end of the arm was photographed to help robotics specialists as they evaluate an issue that can cause snares to misalign inside the arm's end effector. On Thursday, Lopez-Alegria connected the free end of the arm to another grapple fixture on the Mobile Base System and released the opposite end. Friday, the Mobile Transporter was moved by ground controllers to the outermost worksite on the port truss. It will provide support there for the Canadarm2 operations during the next shuttle assembly mission, STS-116. Next week Lopez-Alegria will check out the robotic system for the shuttle flight, which will bring and install a new truss spacer segment to the station. Lopez-Alegria set up and activated cameras for a session of the Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students, or EarthKAM experiment. The middle school students study the Earth, then control a special digital camera mounted on the space station to photograph coastlines, mountain ranges and other geographic items from the unique vantage point of space. At the University of California at San Diego, an undergraduate student team manages the image requests and posts the photographs on the Internet for the public and participating classrooms around the world to view. More than 107 schools from 10 countries participated in this session. The second sample of seeds for the Analysis of a Novel Sensory Mechanism in Root Phototropism was harvested and frozen in the Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer, a cold storage unit that maintains experiment samples at temperatures of -80 C, -26 C, or 4 C throughout a mission. Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter worked with the experiment, which will increase the understanding of the different systems plants use to determine the direction their roots and shoots should grow and which genes are responsible for successful plant growth. Reiter also continued work on a suite of European Space Agency science experiments. One such experiment, called CARD, is helping scientists examine the relationship between salt intake and the cardiovascular system when exposed to the microgravity environment. Crewmembers typically experience reduced blood pressure in microgravity. To help them readjust to gravity on Earth, they take salt tablets just before returning, which temporarily increases the blood volume. CARD is looking at the effects of ingesting occasional salt supplements throughout the long duration mission. This experiment's results could also help improve treatment of patients on Earth with heart failure. The crew began gathering tools for a Nov. 22 spacewalk by Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria in Russian Orlan suits from the Pirs Docking Compartment. They will replace and retrieve several science experiments from the hull of the Zvezda Service Module. Tyurin also plans to hit a golf ball from a bracket on Pirs as part of a Russian commercial activity. The next station status report will be issued Nov. 9. For more information about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html>

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JEFF WILLIAMS TO BE INTERVIEWED
by Arthur Rowe 03 Nov '06

03 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 NASA NEWS Katherine Trinidad Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4769 James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 Nov. 3, 2006 Newly Returned Station Astronaut Available for Interviews NASA astronaut Jeff Williams, back from six months on the International Space Station, will be available for satellite interviews from 6:15 to 8:30 a.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 9. To participate, media should contact NASA's Johnson Space Center newsroom at 281-483-5111 by 5 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 8. Williams was on the station during the return to assembly mission of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in September, and was also on board during the Return to Flight mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery in July. Williams is a native of Winter, Wis., and an Army colonel. He returned to Earth Sept. 28, landing in Kazakhstan along with Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Spaceflight Participant Anousheh Ansari. In addition to Williams' stay on the station as a flight engineer, he flew in May 2000 aboard space shuttle mission STS-101. During his career, he has spent more than 193 days in space, including 19 hours doing three spacewalks. As a member of the station's 13th crew, Williams performed a variety of maintenance work and research. He conducted two spacewalks, one using a Russian spacesuit and another using a U.S. spacesuit. His stay included the arrival of two shuttle missions, the addition of a second set of huge solar arrays to the complex and the restoration of a three-person crew aboard the station. For William's biography, visit: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/williamsj.html For International Space Station information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station For information about the Expedition 13 crew, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition13/index.ht… The interviews and b-roll of Expedition 13 crew activities will be carried live on the NASA TV analog satellite, AMC-6, Transponder 5C at 72 degrees west longitude, vertical polarization. The frequency is 3800 MHz, with audio at 6.8 MHz. The b-roll airs from 5:45 to 6:15 a.m. EST Nov. 9. For NASA TV digital downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-03 04:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 02 Nov '06

02 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-03 04:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 255. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-03 04:30 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-09-27 02:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery Rolls to Vehicle Assembly Building
by Arthur Rowe 02 Nov '06

02 Nov '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Nov. 1, 2006 > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > Jessica Rye > Kennedy Space Center, Fla. > 321-867-2468 > > > > NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY ROLLS TO VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING > > NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery completed one milestone and is nearing > another as workers prepare the orbiter for a December 7th launch to the > International Space Station. > > On Tuesday night, drivers moved Discovery from the shuttle processing > facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space > Center in Florida. Discovery, perched on top of the giant, 76-wheel > orbiter transporter system, began moving out of the facility at 9:23 > p.m. EST. > > In the assembly building, technicians attached Discovery to its > propulsion elements, an external fuel tank and twin solid rocket > boosters. Following those operations, final integration, preparations > and closeouts began in preparation for flight. > > Discovery's next milestone is the 4.2-mile trip to Launch Pad 39B in > preparation for its mission, designated STS-116. During the 11-day > mission, the shuttle's seven astronauts will rewire the station to > bring online new power supplies generated by solar arrays installed > in September. > > NASA TV will provide live coverage of Discovery's move to the launch > pad beginning Tuesday at 7 a.m. EST. For NASA TV downlink, streaming > video and scheduling information, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv > > For more information on the STS-116 mission and crew, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle > > > > >

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-01 23:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 01 Nov '06

01 Nov '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-11-01 23:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 255. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2006-11-01 23:30 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2006-09-27 02:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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A heck of a story re: ISS from ARRL (via N1ORC)
by Roger Kolakowski 01 Nov '06

01 Nov '06

ARISS "Contingency Network" Impresses NASA When Russian flight controllers encountered difficulties during a recent International Space Station cargo rocket docking, NASA called on a special -- although little-known -- Amateur Radio team to stand by if needed. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Ops Team "ISS Ham Contingency Network" volunteers around the world immediately swung into action. Within 15 minutes of receiving the call from Johnson Space Center, Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO, reported the ISS Ham Contingency Network was ready to provide any necessary communication support. "The ARISS teamwork was very effective," ARISS Secretary-Treasurer Rosalie White, K1STO said. "Its members learned a great deal, and they impressed NASA with how quickly the system was brought up." During the October 26 Progress docking, NASA says, Russian flight controllers were unable to confirm whether an automated antenna on the rocket had retracted as commanded. If still extended, the antenna could interfere with the final latching of the supply ship to the ISS. To avoid disturbing the softly docked cargo ship and to aid the crew with docking maneuvers, the ISS orientation was allowed to drift freely. During free-drift mode, however, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) -- which handles communication between the crew and Mission Control in Houston -- can be lost. That's because the station's solar arrays may not directly face the sun, causing a drop in onboard power. Awakened at 2 AM, ARISS Australian team member Tony Hutchison, VK5ZAI, put out a blind call on VHF to the ISS crew, although no answer was needed at that point. Others available to cover later passes included Gerald Klatzko, ZS6BTD, in South Africa; Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, at ON4ISS in Belgium; Dick Flagg, AH6NM, and Nancy Rocheleau, WH6PN, at Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu; and Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, and Mark Steiner, K3MS, at the Goddard Space Flight Center's WA3NAN. Each of these Earth stations has a track record of being able to sustain reliable communication with the ISS. The call-up marked the first time that NASA had asked for such Amateur Radio assistance since the initial crew came aboard the ISS in November 2000. Ransom says that by remaining available to ensure solid communication while Mission Control staff dealt with the docking issue, the ISS Ham Contingency Network provided Mission Control with an additional layer of security. Once the antenna retraction problem had been resolved, the contingency network was able to stand down, ARISS said, but NASA's request and the ensuing ham radio activity did serve as a valuable drill. NASA says Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria, KE5GTK, and flight engineers Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT, and Thomas Reiter, DF4TR, opened the hatch to the supply ship last Friday to unload supplies. The Progress carried food, fuel, oxygen and air, clothing, experiment hardware and spare parts, as well as personal items from the crew's families. The new Progress joins the Progress 22 supply ship that arrived at the ISS in June.

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