October 2007 - Sarex (INACTIVE)

STS-120 Astronauts Finish Launch Practice
by Arthur Rowe 11 Oct '07

11 Oct '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Astronauts Finish Launch Practice* The STS-120 astronauts capped off three days of exercises and training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida by boarding space shuttle Discovery for a simulated countdown Wednesday morning. After the rehearsal concluded, the crew members flew back to their home base in Houston to complete their final preparations for the targeted launch of Discovery on Oct. 23. Image Above: STS-120 Pilot George Zamka (left) and Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski prepare to enter space shuttle Discovery from the White Room at Launch Pad 39A. Image credit: NASA + View larger image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_DSC_0090.JPG> While the astronauts practiced for launch, shuttle program managers started two days of meetings Tuesday in preparation for next week's Flight Readiness Review, which is scheduled for Oct. 16. One of the topics discussed before the conclusion of the program review Wednesday involved the reinforced carbon carbon, or RCC, on Discovery’s wing leading edge panels. In the past, there have been post-flight indications that the edges of a couple of panels have lost small amounts of their upper-level coating. Thermography, or thermal imagery, has been used to inspect the panels in order to identify any internal defects that could lead to coating loss. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) has been working with shuttle engineers to better understand the potential causes of coating loss. At Wednesday's meeting, NESC recommended replacing three of Discovery's 44 panels. Discovery has flown at least twice with these panels in the current condition, and with no indications of degradation based on thermography. At this point, the Space Shuttle Program has determined that Discovery's astronauts can safely carry out their mission without having to replace the panels. *Mission Information* + STS-120 Mission Overview <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html> + Harmony Node 2 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/harmony_payload.html> + Space Shuttle Discovery <http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-in…>

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ISS amateur radio system scheduled for shutdown prior to Soyuz docking
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 11 Oct '07

11 Oct '07

The amateur radio system on the ISS which is currently supporting packet operations is scheduled to be powered off at 2040 UTC on Oct 11 in preparation for the Soyuz docking on Oct 12 about 1450 UTC. The shutdown of the amateur radio system is required prior to and during any Russian Vehicle proximity (dockings and undockings) operations. The radio system will be returned to operation in the normal course of crew activities. The next schedule school contact is set for 14 Oct at approximately 17:17 UTC when students from several Malaysian schools will gather at the National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to speak with Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor - 9W2MUS. Kenneth - N5VHO

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ARISS event - Malaysian Group of Schools #2, National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday (Oct 15) 16:06 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 11 Oct '07

11 Oct '07

An International Space Station ARISS school contact has been planned with one of five Malaysian Group of Schools at the National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 15 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 16:06 UTC. The contact will be a direct between and Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor - 9W2MUS and station 9M2RPN. The contact should be audible in most of Malaysia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. This will be the second ARISS opportunity to establish a radio link between school children and the ISS, also talking to our Malaysian Astronaut. This is going to be a most stimulating experience for school children to learn first hand something about Space and human spaceflight. These contacts will hopefully energize students to look beyond their school syllabus and learn about space, technology as well as about amateur radio. We hope that this opportunity would serve as an educational tool how science in space could improve life on Earth. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. In your first flight path over Malaysia, what were your feelings? 2. How do you sleep in zero gravity? 3. What do you avoid doing most in space? 4. What is the height of the ISS at the moment? 5. What speed is the ISS traveling at? 6. What is one thing you've learned being up in the space station? 7. How do you exercise in space? 8. What do you miss most when you are in space? 9. How do you get rid of waste? 10. Can you see Malaysia from space? 11. What kind of food do you eat in the ISS? 12. What made you want to become an astronaut? 13. What experiment are you doing on board the ISS? 14. What do you do in your spare time? 15. What happens when you have tears in your eye? 16. Is it quiet or noisy in your working cabin? 17. What kind of personal belongings are you allowed to bring to the ISS? 18. This is Malaysia's 50th independence. What are your feelings? 19. Do you wear shoes in space? 20. What do you look forward to do most in space? Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Packet is occasionally active on 145.825 simplex. Next planned event(s): 1. Malaysian Group of Schools #3 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Tue 2007-10-16 16:28 UTC 2. Malaysian Group of Schools #4 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Thu 2007-10-18 15:39 UTC 3. Malaysian Group of Schools #5 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Sat 2007-10-20 14:50 UTC 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 2007-10-10 22:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-10-10 22:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Isummasaqvik School, Quaqtag, QC Canada, telebridge via ON4ISS Successful Wed 2007-10-10 18:32 UTC 84 deg (***) Sets Expedition successful school count record (***) Malaysian Group of Schools #1, National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Sun 2007-10-14 17:17 UTC 85 deg Malaysian Group of Schools #2, National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Mon 2007-10-15 16:06 UTC 13 deg Malaysian Group of Schools #3 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Tue 2007-10-16 16:28 UTC 88 deg Malaysian Group of Schools #4 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Thu 2007-10-18 15:39 UTC 88 deg Malaysian Group of Schools #5 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN (***) Sat 2007-10-20 14:50 UTC 84 deg (***) Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 324. (***) Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 1. 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 complete schedule page has been updated as of 2007-10-10 22:30 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 2007-10-10 22:30 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 have been rumors in the past indicating 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 15 on orbit: Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Dr. Oleg Kotov Clayton Anderson KD5PLA Expedition 15 future: Daniel Tani KD5DXE ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

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Exp 15 sets new school contact record
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

Today, beginning about 1832 UTC, students at the Isummasaqvik School in Quaqtag, QC Canada successfully contacted Clay Anderson on the ISS. Clay answered all 20 questions prepared plus 2 more before the ISS went out of range of the ARISS volunteer ground station (ON4ISS) in Belgium. This marked the 39th school contact for a member of the Expedition 15 crew and surpasses the previous record of 38 set by Expedition 12. Contributors to the Exp. 15 record include Sunita Williams, Fyodor Yurchikhin and Clay Anderson. Kenneth - N5VHO

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Expedition 16 in Orbit, Heads to Station
by Arthur Rowe 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Expedition 16 in Orbit, Heads to Station* Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko and spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor are in orbit and on their way to the International Space Station. Their Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Wednesday at 9:22 a.m. EDT and entered orbit less than 10 minutes later. They will dock to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Zarya module on Friday about 10:52 a.m. Image above: The Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft launches on time from Baikonur Cosmodrome. Image at bottom: Peggy Whitson (upper right) and Yuri Malenchenko inside the Soyuz during the climb to orbit. Credit: NASA TV TO VIEW IMAGES GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html The Expedition 15 crew has been busy readying the station as they prepare to greet their replacements and Malaysian guest. Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov set up a work space in the Zvezda service module that will allow the visiting Shukor to perform several experiments over nine days. Flight Engineer Clay Anderson also resized U.S. spacesuits for Whitson and Malenchenko for an upcoming spacewalk. The current station crew also held space-to-ground teleconferences with their Expedition 16 counterparts to assist with handover activities. Yurchikhin and Kotov are scheduled to leave the station on Oct. 21 officially ending the Expedition 15 increment. Shukor will go home with the two cosmonauts. Anderson will remain onboard with Expedition 16 and return to Earth next month aboard Discovery on its STS-120 mission. + View crew daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html> + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + Read more about Expedition 16 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/index.ht…>

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STS-120 Astronauts Practice for Launch
by Arthur Rowe 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Astronauts Practice for Launch 10 OCTOBER 2007 * Members of the STS-120 crew began their full launch dress rehearsal this morning, boarding space shuttle Discovery for a simulated countdown. The rehearsal caps three days of exercises and training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. STS-120 Pilot George Zamka and Mission Specialist Scott ParazynskiImage Above: STS-120 Pilot George Zamka (left) and Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski prepare to enter space shuttle Discovery from the White Room at Launch Pad 39A. Image credit: NASA TV TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html "It should be a really exciting mission," Commander Pam Melroy told reporters gathered on Tuesdsay. "But I think one of the most exciting parts of it is the fact that we're going to be getting ready to open the gateway to international laboratories. So we're very proud of our part in building the International Space Station." The crew will deliver the Italian-built U.S. Harmony module, which will serve as the future connecting point between the U.S. Destiny lab, the European Space Agency's Columbus module and the Japanese Kibo module. When the launch rehearsal concludes today, the astronauts will return to their home base in Houston to complete their final preparations for the targeted launch of Discovery on Oct. 23. *Mission Information* + STS-120 Mission Overview <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html> + Harmony Node 2 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/harmony_payload.html> + Space Shuttle Discovery <http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-in…>

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ARISS event - Malaysian Group of Schools #1, National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday (Oct 14) 17:17 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 10 Oct '07

10 Oct '07

An International Space Station ARISS school contact has been planned with one of five Malaysian Group of Schools at the National Planetarium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14 Oct. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 17:17 UTC. The contact will be a direct between and Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor - 9W2MUS and station 9M2RPN. The contact should be audible in most of Malaysia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. This will be the first ARISS opportunity to establish a radio link between school children and the ISS, also talking to our Malaysian Astronaut. This is going to be a most stimulating experience for school children to learn first hand something about Space and human spaceflight. These contacts will hopefully energize students to look beyond their school syllabus and learn about space, technology as well as about amateur radio. We hope that this opportunity would serve as an educational tool how science in space could improve life on Earth. Participants will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. How are you adapting to zero gravity? 2. When you have achieved orbit, what is the first thing that you do? 3. Do you feel day and night in space? 4. How long did you take for your journey from earth to space? 5. What was your feeling to go in space successfully? 6. How do you walk in space? 7. Is there a bathing roaster for the crew? 8. What are your feelings to be the 1st Malaysian in space? 9. What were your feelings when you were launched into space? 10. In the journey from earth to the ISS, when was the most stressful time? 11. What time zone do you observe in space? 12. Which is the largest man made object that you can see? 13. Have you seen other planets besides Earth? 14. How big is the ISS? 15. Do you see any meteoroids from the ISS? 16. How does the sun look like from the ISS? 17. Is it always dark in outer space? 18. Is it hard to sleep in space? 19. How many times in one day do you pass over Malaysia? 20. Do you have your own room in space? Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Packet is occasionally active on 145.825 simplex. Next planned event(s): 1. Malaysian Group of Schools #2 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Mon 2007-10-15 16:06 UTC 2. Malaysian Group of Schools #3 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Tue 2007-10-16 16:28 UTC 3. Malaysian Group of Schools #4 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Thu 2007-10-18 15:39 UTC 4. Malaysian Group of Schools #5 National Planetarium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, direct via 9M2RPN Sat 2007-10-20 14:50 UTC 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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Trans-Atlantic hop via ISS
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 09 Oct '07

09 Oct '07

I was looking at www.ariss.net and noticed the following line. CT2ISG]CQ,RS0ISS-4*,ARISS,APRSAT,SGATE,qAo,VO1BIL:=4111.99N\00836.00WSGr eetings from Oporto - Portugal {UIV32} It appears that a station in Portugal (CT2ISG) was heard via ISS(RS0ISS-4)in Newfoundland (VO1BIL). Just a one way that I can see but the first I have seen in quite sometime. Kenneth - N5VHO

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Expedition 16 Ready for Launch
by Arthur Rowe 09 Oct '07

09 Oct '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Expedition 16 Ready for Launch* 9 October 2007 The Soyuz rocket that will launch Expedition 16 to the International Space Station was placed at its launch pad over the weekend. Commander Peggy Whitson, Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko and spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Wednesday at 9:22 a.m. EDT. Two days later the Soyuz TMA-11 vehicle carrying the new crew will dock to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Zarya module. Image above: The Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft was transported by railcar to its launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Oct. 8, 2007 for launch Oct. 10. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html The Expedition 15 crew continues readying the station for its new residents. Flight Engineeer Clay Anderson has been resizing U.S. spacesuits for Whitson and Malenchenko. Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov set up a work space in the Zvezda service module that will allow the visiting Shukor to perform several experiments over nine days. The current station crew has also been holding space-to-ground teleconferences with Expedition 16 to assist with handover activities. Yurchikhin and Kotov are scheduled to leave the station on Oct. 21 officially ending the Expedition 15 increment. Shukor will go home with the two cosmonauts. Anderson will remain onboard with Expedition 16 and return to Earth next month aboard Discovery on its STS-120 mssion. + View crew daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html> + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + Read more about Expedition 16 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/index.ht…>

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