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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-05-05 23:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 05 May '07

05 May '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-05-05 23:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Liceo Scientifico Statale “Lorenzo Respighi”, Piacenza Italy, direct via IZ4JSC Successful Sat 2007-05-05 10:24 UTC 37 deg (***) Erweiterte Realschule, Weiskirchen D-66709, Germany, direct via DL0ERW Successful Sat 2007-05-05 13:34 UTC 78 deg (***) Space Day 2007, National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C., USA, telebridge via W6SRJ Successful Sat 2007-05-05 18:01 UTC 34 deg (***) SRJC Day Under the Oaks, Santa Rosa, California USA direct via W6SRJ (***) Sun 2007-05-06 16:48 UTC 68 deg (***) Sunset Mesa Schools, Albuquerque, New Mexico, direct via W5SCA Wed 2007-05-09 14:39 UTC 49 deg Escola Secundaria de Estarreja, Estarreja, Portugal, direct via CT6ESE Wed 2007-05-09 14:58 UTC 58 deg Barrhaven Public School, Ottawa, ON, Canada, direct via VA3MGY Tue 2007-05-15 15:27 UTC 47 deg Kenneth J. Carberry Intermediate School, Emmett, Idaho, direct via TBD Wed 2007-05-16 18:52 UTC 57 deg Total number of ARISS school contacts is 293. (***) 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 2007-05-05 23:00 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 2007-05-05 23:00 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 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB Expedition 15 on orbit: Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Dr. Oleg Kotov Expedition 15 future: Clayton Anderson KD5PLA Daniel Tani KD5DXE ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

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iSS Status Report: SS07-24
by Arthur Rowe 05 May '07

05 May '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 : > May 4, 2007 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > John Ira Petty > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > > STATUS REPORT: SS07-24 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-24 > > HOUSTON - Marking the second week working together, the Expedition 15 > crew wrapped up a week of various maintenance tasks, science > experiments and preparations for the May 15 arrival of the Progress > 25 supply ship. > > To prepare for the new unpiloted cargo carrier's arrival, the > currently docked Progress' engines were used to reboost the station > Saturday. The move increases the number of rendezvous opportunities > for the STS-117 space shuttle mission targeted for next month. > Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and flight engineers Oleg > Kotov and Suni Williams also removed the docking mechanism from the > Progress 24 for later use. > > The week included work on a wide array of science experiments. > Williams completed the fifth run of the Elastic Memory Composite > Hinge experiment. The experiment studies the performance of a new > hinge composite in space. > > Williams also did a test run of a handheld device for rapid detection > of biological and chemical substances on board the station. This > study is meant to provide an early warning system to protect the > health and safety of station crew members. Williams also completed > annual re-certification of the Microgravity Science Glovebox and > performed a checkout of the cardiac defibrillator. > > Kotov did maintenance work in the Zarya module and tested the circuits > of a temperature sensor on one of the batteries. He also conducted > the periodic collection of air readings in the station with the > Russian Real-Time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer system. > > Other hardware and maintenance tasks included the replacement of a > Common Cabin Air Analyzer, sound level monitoring in the Russian > Service Module and in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory, and charging U.S. > spacesuits batteries. > > Crew members wrapped up the week replacing a heat exchanger in the > Zvezda Service Module. They also swapped out computers used in the > U.S. lab racks. > > The weekend will consist of mostly off-duty time with routine > housekeeping, family conferences and a HAM radio session. > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > >

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2 Line ISS Keps 5-5
by Dave Larsen PhD 05 May '07

05 May '07

ISS 1 25544U 98067A 07124.68270509 .00017885 00000-0 10856-3 0 1434 2 25544 051.6339 328.6632 0010664 143.6648 302.9204 15.77550218483903

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-05-04 22:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 04 May '07

04 May '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-05-04 22:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Liceo Scientifico Statale “Lorenzo Respighi”, Piacenza Italy, direct via IZ4JSC Sat 2007-05-05 10:24 UTC 37 deg Erweiterte Realschule, Weiskirchen D-66709, Germany, direct via DL0ERW Sat 2007-05-05 13:34 UTC 78 deg Space Day 2007, National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C., USA, telebridge via W6SRJ Sat 2007-05-05 18:01 UTC 34 deg Sunset Mesa Schools, Albuquerque, New Mexico, direct via W5SCA Wed 2007-05-09 14:39 UTC 49 deg Escola Secundaria de Estarreja, Estarreja, Portugal, direct via CT6ESE Wed 2007-05-09 14:58 UTC 58 deg Barrhaven Public School, Ottawa, ON, Canada, direct via VA3MGY (***) Tue 2007-05-15 15:27 UTC 47 deg (***) Kenneth J. Carberry Intermediate School, Emmett, Idaho, direct via TBD (***) Wed 2007-05-16 18:52 UTC 57 deg (***) Total number of ARISS school contacts is 290. 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 2007-04-30 15:00 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 2007-04-29 05:00 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 Expedition 15 on orbit: Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Dr. Oleg Kotov Expedition 15 future: Clayton Anderson KD5PLA Daniel Tani KD5DXE Soyuz 14S/13S on orbit: Charles Simonyi KE7KDP/HA5SIK ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

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Crew Completes a Week of Experiments and Maintenance
by Arthur Rowe 04 May '07

04 May '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Crew Completes a Week of Experiments and Maintenance* Image above: Sunita Williams, Expedition 15 flight engineer, works with the Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System (LOCAD-PTS) experiment. LOCAD-PTS is a handheld device for rapid detection of biological and chemical substances onboard the station. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Expedition 15 crew members replaced a heat exchanger on Friday in the Zvezda Service Module. They also swapped out computers in the U.S. lab. Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov finished the repair of the Russian air conditioner that began a few days ago. Flight Engineer Sunita Williams completed the discharge process on the second of two sets of spacesuit batteries. The batteries will be required for the STS-117 spacewalks. To prepare for the arrival of the unpiloted cargo carrier, ISS Progress 25, the station was reboosted by the Progress 24’s engines April 28. Transfers of cargo continue from the Progress 24 craft to the station. Progress 25 is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan May 11. Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Kotov again had an hour each allocated for station familiarization and adaptation to help in adjusting to their new surroundings and activities. + 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> + View Expedition 14 landing images <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/multimedia/exp14_landing_images.h…>

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ISS STATUS REPORT #07-24
by Arthur Rowe 04 May '07

04 May '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *International Space Station Status Report #07-24* *3 p.m. CDT Friday, May 4, 2007* *Expedition 15 Crew* Marking the second week working together, the Expedition 15 crew wrapped up various maintenance tasks, science experiments and preparations for the May 15 arrival of the Progress 25 supply ship. To prepare for the new unpiloted cargo carrier's arrival, the currently docked Progress' engines were used to reboost the station Saturday. The move also increases the number of rendezvous opportunities for the STS-117 space shuttle mission targeted for next month. Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and flight engineers Oleg Kotov and Suni Williams also removed the docking mechanism from the Progress 24 for later use. The week included work on a wide array of science experiments. Williams completed the fifth run of the Elastic Memory Composite Hinge experiment. The experiment studies the performance of a new hinge composite in space. Williams also did a test run of a handheld device for rapid detection of biological and chemical substances on board the station. This study is meant to provide an early warning system to protect the health and safety of station crew members. Williams also completed annual re-certification of the Microgravity Science Glovebox and performed a checkout of the cardiac defibrillator. Kotov did maintenance work in the Zarya module and tested the circuits of a temperature sensor on one of the batteries. He also conducted the periodic collection of air readings in the station with the Russian Real-Time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer system. Other hardware and maintenance tasks included the replacement of a Common Cabin Air Analyzer, sound level monitoring in the Russian Service Module and in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory, and charging U.S. spacesuits batteries. Crew members wrapped up the week replacing a heat exchanger in the Zvezda Service Module. They also swapped out computers used in the U.S. lab racks. The weekend will consist of mostly off-duty time with routine housekeeping, family conferences and a HAM radio session. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station The next station status report will be issued Friday, May 11, or earlier if events warrant. ### NASA OFFERS RESOURCES FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH II VISIT TO GODDARD GREENBELT, Md. - Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will visit NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., on Tuesday, May 8. Goddard is home to the largest organization of scientists and engineers in the United States dedicated to learning and sharing knowledge of the Earth, sun, solar system and universe. The main Web site for information updates and images as they become available: http://www.nasa.gov/goddard Live television coverage highlights will include a call to crew aboard International Space Station, a welcoming event with NASA employees and a tree planting ceremony at Goddard's visitor center. NASA TV will air live coverage from approximately 10 a.m. - Noon EDT. Video of the visit will run on the NASA TV media channel (#103) at Noon, 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. NASA Television information and real-time schedule updates will be available at: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv NASA Television is carried on an MPEG-2 digital signal accessed via satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. A Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) - compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) with modulation of QPSK/DBV, data rate of 36.86 and FEC of 3/4 is needed for reception. NASA TV Multichannel Broadcast includes Public Services Channel (#101), the Education Channel (#102) and the Media Services Channel (#103). -end-

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-05-04 17:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 04 May '07

04 May '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-05-04 17:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Liceo Scientifico Statale “Lorenzo Respighi”, Piacenza Italy, direct via IZ4JSC Sat 2007-05-05 10:24 UTC 37 deg Erweiterte Realschule, Weiskirchen D-66709, Germany, direct via DL0ERW Sat 2007-05-05 13:34 UTC 78 deg Space Day 2007, National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C., USA, telebridge via W6SRJ Sat 2007-05-05 18:01 UTC 34 deg SRJC Day Under the Oaks, Santa Rosa, California USA direct via W6SRJ (***) Sun 2007-05-06 16:48 UTC 68 deg (***) Sunset Mesa Schools, Albuquerque, New Mexico, direct via W5SCA Wed 2007-05-09 14:39 UTC 49 deg Escola Secundaria de Estarreja, Estarreja, Portugal, direct via CT6ESE Wed 2007-05-09 14:58 UTC 58 deg Total number of ARISS school contacts is 290. 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 2007-04-30 15:00 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 2007-04-29 05:00 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 Expedition 15 on orbit: Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Dr. Oleg Kotov Expedition 15 future: Clayton Anderson KD5PLA Daniel Tani KD5DXE Soyuz 14S/13S on orbit: Charles Simonyi KE7KDP/HA5SIK ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

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ARISS event -Space Day at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, Washington D.C., USA, Saturday (May 05) 18:01 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 04 May '07

04 May '07

An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with participants at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum's Space Day on 05 May. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 18:01 UTC. The contact will be a telebridge between stations NA1SS and W6SRJ. The contact should be audible in western portions of North America. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. Space Day 2007 will be another action-packed day of astronaut appearances, hands-on activities, book signings, tours, and special stories for children, all surrounded by the world's most famous space artifacts. Especially exciting will be a sneak peek at the much-anticipated successor to the space shuttle, the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. This Lockheed Martin-designed spacecraft of the future will be on view in the shadow of one of the most historic spacecraft of the past - the Apollo 11 command module, Columbia. Have a blast learning how you can build your own model rocket with the Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry. The group will bring their own home-built rockets for you to see and lots of information on building a flyable rocket. Local robotics teams will show off their latest creations with a robot petting zoo. The teams will demonstrate their expertise in building and running robots for competition. Participating organizations include Lockheed Martin, NASA, and AMSAT-Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. Participants will ask as many of questions as time allows. Due to the live nature of this event, no advance copies of the questions are available 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): Sunset Mesa Schools, Albuquerque, New Mexico, direct via W5SCA, Wed 2007-05-09 14:39 UTC Escola Secundaria de Estarreja, Estarreja, Portugal, direct via CT6ESE, Wed 2007-05-09 14:58 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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Future ISS amateur radio modes
by Patrick McGrane 04 May '07

04 May '07

Greetings I read rogers mail pushing for packet on ISS. I have a different opinion to express. For years, the ISS transmitted a very unchallenging Packet mode devoid of real communications with the crew. After listening for many passes for years waiting to hear a crewmember call CQ the packet noise began to grow on me like chinese water torture. To me, without the capability to communicate with the crew, the aprs packet mode is frivolous robotic stuff. Sorry, But I'm not the military type. I realize the crew is busy, or otherwise uninterested, but I prefer to communicate with the crew or others directly. I'm thankful for the times the d700 was placed in cross-band repeat mode. It was the next best thing to talking to the crew. Please use it in the future. Thank you, 73, patrick N2OEQ

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Veteran Astronaut Walter Schirra Dies
by Arthur Rowe 03 May '07

03 May '07

NASA News wrote: > May 3, 2007 > > David Mould > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-1898 > > RELEASE: 07-100 > > VETERAN ASTRONAUT WALTER SCHIRRA DIES > > LA JOLLA, Calif. - Pioneering astronaut Walter "Wally" Schirra, the > only man who flew in all three of America's first human space > projects - Mercury, Gemini and Apollo - died Wednesday night. He was > 84. Schirra's family reported he died of natural causes. > > Schirra was one of America's original seven astronauts, selected in > 1959, and was commander of the first crew to fly into space aboard an > Apollo capsule, Apollo 7, following the tragic launchpad fire that > claimed the lives of the crew of Apollo 1. > > "With the passing of Wally Schirra, we at NASA note with sorrow the > loss of yet another of the pioneers of human spaceflight," NASA > Administrator Michael Griffin said. "As a Mercury astronaut, Wally > was a member of the first group of astronauts to be selected, often > referred to as the Original Seven." > > Schirra's first space flight was piloting the fifth Mercury mission on > Oct. 3, 1962, orbiting Earth six times in 9 hours and 13 minutes. > During the flight he took hundreds of photos of Earth and space > phenomena. Schirra's capsule, Sigma 7, splashed down only 5 miles > from the recovery carrier. > > As commander of Gemini 6-A, which launched on Dec. 15, 1965, Schirra > flew with astronaut Tom Stafford on a mission that included the first > rendezvous of two manned, maneuverable spacecraft. Gemini 6-A and > Gemini 7 flew in formation for five hours, as close as one foot to > one another. > > During his 11-day Apollo 7 flight, which began Oct. 11, 1968, he and > fellow crewmembers Walt Cunningham and Donn Eisele tested the Apollo > systems and proved Apollo was ready to take astronauts to the moon. > > "We shared a common dream to test the limits of man's imagination and > daring," Schirra wrote of America's early astronauts. "Those early > pioneering flights of Mercury, the performances of Gemini and the > trips to the moon established us once and for all as what I like to > call a spacefaring nation. Like England, Spain and Portugal crossing > the seas in search of their nations' greatness, so we reached for the > skies and ennobled our nation." > > Schirra retired from the Navy as a captain and from NASA in 1969 and > became a commentator with CBS News. His enthusiasm and knowledge of > the space program coupled with his charismatic on-the-air presence > made him an even more widely known national and international figure. > > > He complemented CBS anchorman Walter Cronkite and the two became a > powerful space-coverage team. Schirra worked for CBS from 1969 to > 1975. He also engaged in a range of business activities and in 1979 > formed his own consultant company, Schirra Enterprises. > > Walter M. Schirra, Jr., was born in Hackensack, N.J., on March 12, > 1923. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1945, and from > Naval Flight Training at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla., in 1947. > After service as a carrier-based fighter pilot and operations > officer, he attended the Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, > Md. During the Korean War he flew F-86 Sabres under an exchange > program with the Air Force. > > Schirra was chosen as one of the original "Mercury Seven" from among > 110 selected test pilots from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps > after exhaustive physical and psychological examinations. > > Known for lively storytelling and practical jokes, one of his > best-known anecdotes from astronaut training came when he and the > others were continually being examined and subjected to demands for > samples of body fluids. When one nurse insisted he provide a urine > sample, Schirra reportedly filled a 5-gallon jug with warm water, > detergent and iodine and left it on her desk. > > "Levity makes life a lot easier," he once told a Houston reporter. > > Griffin noted that "It was impossible to know Wally, even to meet him, > without realizing at once that he was a man who relished the lighter > side of life, the puns and jokes and pranks that can enliven a > gathering. But this was a distraction from the true nature of the > man. His record as a pioneering space pilot shows the real stuff of > which he was made. We who have inherited today's space program will > always be in his debt." > > The Mercury Seven trained initially at NASA's Langley Research Center > in Hampton, Va. In 1961 they moved to the newly established Manned > Spacecraft Center (now the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center) near > Houston. > > Schirra's Sigma 7 mission was called "the perfect flight" by space > reporter and author Howard Benedict. After Schirra's splashdown near > the carrier USS Kearsarge near Midway Island in the Pacific, he > pronounced himself "healthy as a bear" and "happy as a lark." > > Schirra's Gemini flight with Stafford was something of an > improvisation. They had been scheduled to rendezvous in orbit with an > unmanned Agena to be launched 90 minutes before the Gemini liftoff. > But six minutes after the Atlas-Agena left the pad it exploded, and > the Gemini 6-A launch was postponed. > > Eventually it was decided to use Gemini 7 as a rendezvous target for > Gemini 6-A. Both were to be launched from Pad 19 at Cape Canaveral, > so a record turnaround of the launch pad was necessary. Working > around the clock, crews got the pad ready in just eight days after > the Gemini 7 liftoff. > > The Gemini 6-A countdown reached zero on Dec. 12, 1965, and the rocket > engines ignited - then shut down. The two astronauts had to wait > almost half an hour atop the fueled rocket before getting out of the > capsule. The problem turned out to be minor, the failure of an > electrical connection. > > Three days later, Gemini 6-A was launched without a hitch. The mission > proved the spacecraft could be readily maneuvered. It was an > encouraging development in the race to reach the moon. > > By the launch of Apollo 7 in October 1968, the moon landing seemed to > be coming within reach. The success of the flight proved that it was. > Accomplishments of the mission commanded by Schirra resulted in the > next flight, Apollo 8, being sent around the moon. > > Apollo 7 had not been all smooth sailing. All three astronauts had > colds. Schirra was occasionally firm in rejecting requests from the > ground to insert additional events in the already-crowded flight > plan. > > "Television will be delayed, without any further discussion, until > after the rendezvous" (with a spent rocket stage), he said. He > subsequently was even more critical of efforts to add events to the > flight plan. Eventually the almost daily television transmissions > from Apollo 7 became popular mainstays of the mission coverage. > Schirra subsequently apologized for the tone of some of his > criticisms, though not for their content. > > After leaving NASA, he participated in a number of television > presentations and films, and served as national spokesman for several > organizations and companies. He also held numerous directorships for > a variety of businesses, in addition to his consulting work. He also > wrote two books, "We Seven" published in 1960 and "Schirra's Space" > published in 1988. > > Schirra's military awards included the Navy Distinguished Service > Medal, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Air Medals, two NASA > Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and > the Philippines Legion of Honor. > > He was awarded honorary doctorates by several institutions of higher > learning. > > He was active in a number of organizations. He was on the Advisory > Committee of the Oceans Foundations, the Advisory Board/Council of > U.S. National Parks, the Advisory Board of International "Up With > People" and was a founding member and director of the Mercury Seven > Foundation. > > He also was a director of the San Diego Aerospace Museum, a trustee of > the Scripps Aquarium, and a member of the International Council of > the Salk Institute. > > Schirra lived in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Survivors include his wife > Josephine, his daughter Suzanne and son Walter Schirra III. > > Images and video from Schirra's years with NASA can be seen at: > > http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/features/walter_schirra.html > > > -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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