February 2007 - Sarex (INACTIVE)

ARISS event - Virginia Run Elementary School in Centreville, Virginia, USA - Fri. (Mar 02) 16:18 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 28 Feb '07

28 Feb '07

An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Virginia Run Elementary School in Centreville, Virginia, USA on Monday, 02 Mar. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 16:18 UTC. The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and K4HTA. The contact should be audible in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. Located approximately 20 miles west of Washington, D.C. in Centreville, Virginia in Fairfax County, Virginia Run Elementary School provides education to 830 children between the ages of 5 years and 12 years in Kindergarten through sixth grade. Our school is a typical suburban school where the boys and girls often claim that science is their favorite subject. Our entire school has been busy preparing for our ARISS contact with the International Space Station. We held a contest among students to select the 15 best questions representing all grade levels. Each of the contest winners will have the opportunity to ask their question. Carl Walz, a former Space Station astronaut and community member has agreed to be part of our pre-contact activities. He will bring his space suit, memorabilia, and videos and make a presentation to the entire school about his adventures and career in space. Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. How high above the Earth are you? 2. How do you eat? 3. s it pitch black in space besides the stars? 4. Tell us about the layers in your space suit. 5. How and when did you decided you wanted to be an astronaut? 6. What kinds of things are you doing to help future ISS expeditions? 7. How does the air get in the space station? 8. How is day-to-day living different there than here? 9. If something serious happens, what is your most valuable instrument? 10. If you could talk with any former astronaut (deceased or alive), who would it be and what would you talk about? 11. What kind of research are you doing in the space station? 12. What are your daily activities? 13. What has been your biggest surprise since you've been up in space? Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS is not 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): 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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Hail Damage Forces Shuttle Atlantis Off Launch Pad
by Arthur Rowe 28 Feb '07

28 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 27, 2007 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > Kyle Herring/Jessica Rye > Kennedy Space Center, Fla. > 321-867-2468 > > RELEASE: 07-60 > > HAIL DAMAGE FORCES SHUTTLE ATLANTIS OFF LAUNCH PAD > > CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA decided Tuesday to roll the space shuttle > Atlantis off its launch pad and back inside the Vehicle Assembly > Building at the Kennedy Space Center. Managers made the decision > after a hail storm Monday damaged the orbiter's External Tank. A new > target launch date has not been determined, but teams will focus on > preparing Atlantis for liftoff in late April. > > On Monday, a severe thunderstorm with golf ball-size hail caused what > could be 1,000 to 2,000 divots in the giant tank's foam insulation > and minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the > shuttle's left wing. Further evaluation of the tank is necessary to > get an accurate accounting of foam damage and must be done in the > Vehicle Assembly Building, where the entire tank can be more easily > accessed. The shuttle is expected to be moved off the pad by early > next week. > > Once an up-close look at the damage is complete, the type of repair > required and the time needed for that work can be determined. > Atlantis' flight, STS-117, to the International Space Station will be > scheduled sometime after a Russian Soyuz spacecraft returns from the > station. The Soyuz is delivering new station crew members and > returning others back to Earth in late April. Adequate time is needed > between the Soyuz undocking and the shuttle's arrival to the station. > > > STS-117 Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault and mission > specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson and John > "Danny" Olivas will continue training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, > Houston, as they await a new target launch date. During the 11-day > mission, the astronauts will work with the station crew and ground > teams to install a new truss segment, unfold a new set of solar > arrays and retract one array on the starboard side of the station. > > Space Shuttle Program managers are gathered at the Kennedy Space > Center for the traditional Flight Readiness Review for the mission. > During the two-day meeting, 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. The > meeting, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, will continue as > planned. > > For information about the STS-117 crew and mission, 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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NASA Announces Feb. 27 Shuttle News Conference
by Arthur Rowe 27 Feb '07

27 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 27, 2007 > > Allard Beutel > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-4769 > > Kyle Herring/Jessica Rye > Kennedy Space Center, Fla. > 321-867-2468 > > > NASA ANNOUNCES FEB. 27 SHUTTLE NEWS CONFERENCE > > CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA will host a news conference at no earlier > than 4 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Feb. 27, to discuss the status of the space > shuttle's upcoming mission, STS-117. Topics will include the latest > on possible impacts to the mission from a hail storm at Kennedy Space > Center Monday. > > The briefing will air live on NASA Television and the agency's > Internet site from Kennedy. Questions will be taken from media at > participating NASA locations. Media not at Kennedy are asked to call > Public Affairs at their local field center to RSVP. > > Senior spaceflight managers are at Kennedy for the Flight Readiness > Review, a thorough assessment of preparations for an upcoming > mission. > > For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, > visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv > > For STS-117 crew and mission information, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle > > > -end- > > > > a message to: > hqnews-unsubscribe(a)mediaservices.nasa.gov > >

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Independent Space Station Task Force Releases Final Report
by Arthur Rowe 27 Feb '07

27 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468: > Feb. 27, 2007 > > David Mould/Allard Beutel > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-1898/4769 > > > > INDEPENDENT SPACE STATION TASK FORCE RELEASES FINAL REPORT > > WASHINGTON - The International Space Station Independent Safety Task > Force's final report is now available online. The report was released > simultaneously Tuesday to Congress, NASA and the public. > > The Congressionally-mandated task force was chartered last year under > Section 1281 of the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. It was charged > with reviewing the International Space Station program to assess > potential vulnerabilities that could threaten the station or its crew > or lead to it being prematurely abandoned. > > "I wish to thank the members of the International Space Station > Independent Safety Task Force for their hard work," said NASA > Administrator Michael Griffin. "At NASA no activity is more important > than safely conducting our space missions, including our > expeditionary missions onboard the International Space Station. I > look forward to reading the task force's report. " > > To view the report online visit the task force and main space station > Web sites at: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > >

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ISS LATEST NEWS
by Arthur Rowe 27 Feb '07

27 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 LATEST NEWS ISS014-E-14467 : Mikhail Tyurin Image above: Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin, wearing a Russian Orlan spacesuit, participates in spacewalk. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html *Station Safety Report Released* The International Space Station Independent Safety Task Force has issued its final report. It was released Tuesday simultaneously to Congress, NASA and the public. The Congressionally-mandated task force was chartered last year under Section 1281 of the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. The task force was charged with reviewing the International Space Station program to assess potential vulnerabilities that could threaten the station or its crew or lead to it being prematurely abandoned. "I wish to thank the members of the International Space Station Independent Safety Task Force for their hard work," said NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. "At NASA no activity is more important than safely conducting our space missions, including our expeditionary missions on board the International Space Station. I look forward to reading the task force’s report." + View Report (1.2 Mb PDF) <http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/170368main_IIST_%20Final%20Report.pdf> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ + Spacewalkers Retract Antenna <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ev…> + Expedition 14 Mission Status Briefing Materials, Jan. 26, 2007 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ms…> + Read more about Expedition 14 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/index.ht…> + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + View Crew's Daily Timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-27 17:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 27 Feb '07

27 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-27 17:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Virginia Run Elementary School in Centreville, Virginia, direct via K4HTA Fri 2007-03-02 16:18 UTC 50 deg Boulder Hill Elementary School, Montgomery, Illinois, 2005-10-14, direct via W9BHB Tue 2007-03-06 16:06 UTC 87 deg Watch for IRLP, Echolink, and web coverage (***) Mission Viejo, CA, direct via TBD Thu 2007-03-08 16:42 UTC 45 deg Total number of ARISS school contacts is 270. 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 2007-02-27 17:00 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 2007-02-26 21:30 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 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 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-26 21:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 26 Feb '07

26 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-26 21:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Escola Camilo Castelo Branco, Portugal 2790-096, Carnaxide, 2004-12-22, telebridge via VK5ZAI Successful Mon 2007-02-26 15:51 UTC 56 deg (***) Virginia Run Elementary School in Centreville, Virginia, direct via K4HTA Fri 2007-03-02 16:18 UTC 50 deg Boulder Hill Elementary School, Montgomery, Illinois, 2005-10-14, direct via W9BHB Tue 2007-03-06 16:06 UTC 87 deg (***) Mission Viejo, CA, direct via TBD Thu 2007-03-08 16:42 UTC 45 deg (***) Total number of ARISS school contacts is 270. (***) 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 2007-02-26 21:30 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 2007-02-26 21:30 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 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 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-26 04:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 26 Feb '07

26 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-26 04:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India, telebridge via WH6PN Successful Sat 2007-02-24 08:50 UTC 82 deg via WH6PN (***) Escola Camilo Castelo Branco, Portugal 2790-096, Carnaxide, 2004-12-22, telebridge via VK5ZAI Mon 2007-02-26 15:51 UTC 56 deg Will be covered on Echolink, IRLP, and the web (via Verizon Business and also Discovery IRLP Reflector 9010) Virginia Run Elementary School in Centreville, Virginia, direct via K4HTA Fri 2007-03-02 16:18 UTC 50 deg Total number of ARISS school contacts is 269. (***) 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 2007-02-26 04:00 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 2007-02-26 04:00 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 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

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Station Crew Performs Post-Spacewalk Duties
by Arthur Rowe 24 Feb '07

24 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Station Crew Performs Post-Spacewalk Duties* Image above: Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin, wearing a Russian Orlan spacesuit, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA). Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin performed post-spacewalk cleanup activities Friday. Tasks included returning first-aid kits to their regular stowage locations, recording radiation readings from the spacesuits, closing out and reconfiguring the photo cameras, and downlinking photo imagery from the spacewalk to the ground. Both spacewalkers also tagged up with ground specialists for the standard post-spacewalk debrief. Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin successfully completed a 6-hour, 18-minute spacewalk Thursday. The excursion from the Pirs docking compartment was conducted in Russian Orlan spacesuits. They were able to retract a stuck antenna on the Progress vehicle docked to the station’s Zvezda Service Module. The excursion was the 10th for Lopez-Alegria, a U.S. record, and the fifth for Tyurin.

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-23 23:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 23 Feb '07

23 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-23 23:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India, telebridge via WH6PN Sat 2007-02-24 08:50 UTC 82 deg via WH6PN Will be covered on Echolink, IRLP, and the web (via Verizon Business and also Discovery IRLP Reflector 9010) Escola Camilo Castelo Branco, Portugal 2790-096, Carnaxide, 2004-12-22, telebridge via VK5ZAI Mon 2007-02-26 15:51 UTC 56 deg Will be covered on Echolink, IRLP, and the web (via Verizon Business and also Discovery IRLP Reflector 9010) Virginia Run Elementary School in Centreville, Virginia, direct via K4HTA Fri 2007-03-02 16:18 UTC 50 deg Total number of ARISS school contacts is 268. 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 2007-02-23 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 2007-02-12 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 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

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