Text File

Aihnss.201 net.ham-radio utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!mhtsa!harpo!houxf!ihnss!karn Wed Nov 18 10:38:20 1981 Amsat news >From the 11/16/81 issue of Amsat Satellite Report, and the Amsat nets:

Work on the liquid fuel kick motor design for Phase III-B is progressing well. Recent pressure tests in Germany have satisfied ESA (the European Space Agency, who will launch the Ariane carrying Phase III-B) that the fuel tank design is sound.

Phase III-B will use a UDMH/Nitrogen Tetroxide engine originally manufactured by MBB for the Symphonie satellite program and donated to Amsat. The liquid fuel motor will allow a larger payload, consisting of an extra transponder for 23cm -> 70cm, increased radiation shielding for the onboard computer memories, and a better Molniya-type orbit.

The next launch of an Ariane (L04, the 4th test flight) is scheduled between 20 and 23 Dec 1981. A maritime communications satellite called MARECS A will be aboard LO4. Phase III-B is currently expected to fly on L7 (the 7th Ariane, an operational mission) in October 1982 along with the ECS-1 spacecraft (European Communications Satellite 1).

Still no word on the expected launch of 3 new Soviet amateur radio satellites. Anyone hearing the new birds is urged to call Amsat headquarters at 301-589-6062.

Engineering evaluation work on Uosat-Oscar-9 (launched 6 October) is progressing well. The speech synthesizer and both computers have been tested and found to be operational. It is expected that despin maneuvers using the torquing electromagnets will begin within a week or so. Following this, the gravity gradient boom may be deployed, and the HF beacon experiments turned on.

de KA9Q

----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen <jgoerzen@complete.org> of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/

This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided:

1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles.

2. The following notice remains appended to each copy:

The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.