SAREX Fact Sheet--STS-76

SAREX FACT SHEET - STS-76

Media Contact:
Jennifer Hagy
Media Relations Assistant
American Radio Relay League
(860) 594-0328  (860) 594-0200

Educational Contact:
Bob Inderbitzen
Educational Activities Department
American Radio Relay League
(860) 594-0213  (860) 594-0200

SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTS
VIA AMATEUR RADIO

Amateur (or "ham") Radio operators from around the world will point their 
antennas at the sky during the upcoming shuttle mission, STS-76. Many of 
them hope to make radio contact with the astronauts aboard the Space 
Shuttle Atlantis. And, some of these amateurs have volunteered to assist 
student groups that have prepared questions to ask the astronauts via the 
ham radio airwaves. The project is called the Shuttle Amateur Radio 
EXperiment, or SAREX. 

The astronauts will use a radio aboard the shuttle, on frequencies used by 
ham radio operators, to talk directly with large groups of students. 
They'll demonstrate to young people, teachers, parents and communities how 
Amateur Radio energizes students about science, technology, and learning.

To operate Amateur Radio from the space shuttle, one or more of the 
astronauts needs to have an Amateur Radio license. Astronaut Richard A. 
Searfoss will serve as the shuttle's Pilot, and has Amateur Radio call sign 
KC5CKM. Searfoss last operated SAREX from the Space Shuttle Columbia during 
mission STS-58 in October/November 1993. This will be his second shuttle 
flight. Linda M. Godwin is N5RAX, and will serve as a Mission Specialist. 
Her third shuttle flight, Godwin used ham radio aboard the shuttle Atlantis 
during STS-37 in April 1991, and from aboard Endeavour during STS-59 in 
April 1994. Ronald M. Sega is KC5ETH, and is also a Mission Specialist. 
Sega used SAREX from Discovery during the first joint US/Russian shuttle 
mission, STS-60, in February 1994. The remaining crew members include 
Commander Kevin P. Chilton, and Mission Specialists Shannon W. Lucid and 
Michael R. Clifford.

During the mission, the shuttle will rendezvous and dock with the Russian 
Space Station Mir. Later, the shuttle will return to Earth, leaving Shannon 
Lucid with Mir for a 5 month stay aboard the Russian complex.

Amateur Radio has been flying aboard the shuttles since 1983.

WHEN: Launch is scheduled for March 21, 1996 at 0834 UTC (3:34 AM EST) from 
the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Landing is scheduled for 
March 30, 1995 at 1707 UTC (12:07 AM EST) at the Kennedy Space Center, 
Florida. 9 day mission.

WHERE: The launch will place the shuttle into Earth orbit at an altitude of 
196-245 statute miles (315-394 km) and an inclination of 51.6 degrees.

WHY: NASA's intent in making astronauts available for SAREX operations is 
to involve the largest possible numbers of people, particularly students, 
in technology and the US space program with the help of Amateur Radio.

During SAREX missions, the astronauts will typically make the following 
types of Amateur Radio contacts:
     Scheduled radio contacts with schools.
     Random radio contacts with the Amateur Radio community.
     Personal contacts with the astronauts' families.

CREW MEMBERS (and Amateur Radio call signs):
     Kevin P. Chilton, Commander
     Richard A. Searfoss, Pilot, KC5CKM
     Shannon W. Lucid, Mission Specialist, call sign To Be Determined
     Linda M. Godwin, Mission Specialist, N5RAX
     Michael R. Clifford, Mission Specialist
     Ronald M. Sega, Mission Specialist, KC5ETH

PAYLOAD: Primary Payload--
During the STS-76 mission, the Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its third trip 
to the Russian Space Station Mir. This is the third of seven shuttle 
flights to Mir, an effort known as Phase 1--the precursor to building the 
International Space Station.

Additional STS-76 mission information can be obtained from NASA:
     * NASA Spacelink computer information system (look under 
Spacelink.Hot.Topics)
          BBS: (205) 895-0028 [VT-100, 8-N-1]
          Telnet, FTP, and Gopher: spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          World Wide Web: http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          Internet TCP/IP address: 192.149.89.61
     * NASA Shuttle World Wide Web Home Page: http://shuttle.nasa.gov

SAREX SPONSORS: The Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) is sponsored 
by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), The Radio Amateur Satellite 
Corporation (AMSAT) and The National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
(NASA). SAREX is supported by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS: A handful of schools are selected from around the 
world to make contact with the shuttle during most SAREX missions. These 
contacts are prearranged, giving the schools a greater chance at making a 
successful contact. Two or more students at each of the selected schools 
ask questions of the astronauts during the contact. The nature of these 
contacts embodies the primary goal of SAREX--to excite students' interest 
in learning.

The following schools have been selected by the SAREX Working Group for a 
scheduled radio contact during this mission:

Artesia Public Schools
Artesia, NM

Troy Middle School
Troy, TX

S.J. Davis Middle School
San Antonio, TX

Bethlehem Central Senior High School
Delmar, NY

University of Colorado
(College of Engineering and Applied Science)
Colorado Springs, CO


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS-

SAREX RADIO FREQUENCIES: During most SAREX missions, many of the crew 
members will make random contacts with earth-bound hams. They make these 
contacts during their breaks, before and after meal time, and during their 
pre-sleep time. In fact, over the past years the astronauts have contacted 
thousands of amateurs around the world.

Since this flight is a shuttle-Mir docking mission, and SAREX and Mir 
Amateur Radio stations usually share the same downlink frequency (145.55 
MHz), the SAREX Working Group has decided to use the following frequencies 
during this mission.

The crew will use separate receive and transmit frequencies. PLEASE do not 
transmit on the shuttle's DOWNLINK frequency. The DOWNLINK is your 
receiving frequency. The UPLINK is your transmitting frequency.

     FM Voice Downlink: 145.84 MHz
     FM Voice Uplink: 144.45, 144.47 MHz

The crew will not favor either uplink frequency, so your ability to 
communicate with SAREX will be the "luck of the draw." Transmit only when 
the shuttle is within range of your station, and when the shuttle's station 
is on-the-air.

CALL SIGNS: FM voice call signs--KC5CKM, N5RAX, KC5ETH

QSL VIA: Send reports and QSLs to ARRL EAD, STS-76 QSL, 225 Main Street, 
Newington, CT 06111-1494, USA. Include the following information in your 
QSL or report: STS-76, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode. In addition, 
you must also include a SASE using a large, business-sized envelope if you 
wish to receive a card. The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club in 
Massachusetts has generously volunteered to manage the cards for this 
mission. 

SHUTTLE TRACKING: Current Keplerian elements to track the shuttle are 
available from the following sources:
     * NASA Spacelink computer information system
          BBS: (205) 895-0028 [VT-100, 8-N-1]
          Telnet, FTP, and Gopher: spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          World Wide Web: http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
          Internet TCP/IP address: 192.149.89.61
     * NASA SAREX WWW Home Page:
          http://www.nasa.gov/sarex/sarex_mainpage.html
     * ARRL
          W1AW news bulletins (frequencies and times listed under "FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION")
          BBS: (860) 594-0306
          World Wide Web: http://www.arrl.org/
     * AMSAT
          World Wide Web: http://www.amsat.org
     * Johnson Space Center Amateur Radio Club
          BBS: (713) 244-5625
     * Goddard Amateur Radio Club
          BBS: (301) 286-4137
          World Wide Web: http://garc.gsfc.nasa.gov/www/garc-home-page.html
          Packet: WA3NAN on 145.090 MHz in DC area

CONFIGURATION: During STS-76, the SAREX hardware will be flown in 
configuration M. Configuration M uses the shuttle/Mir VHF radio for FM 
voice radio contacts.

During final approaches to the Mir Space Station, a VHF radio is used by 
the shuttle Commander to radio the Mir crew by ship-to-ship communications, 
providing shuttle status and keeping them informed of major events from 
that point on, including confirmation of contact, capture and conclusion of 
damping. This same VHF radio is used by the crew for SAREX activities 
during shuttle/Mir docking missions.

SAREX ELECTRONIC MAILING LIST:
The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation in North America (AMSAT-NA) 
operates the Internet host AMSAT.ORG to provide for efficient 
communications between people interested in the amateur satellite program. 
Periodic mailings to the SAREX list include information and press releases 
pertaining to SAREX missions. This mailing list is very active during SAREX 
missions, and can be fairly quiet in between missions. To subscribe to the 
SAREX mailing list, send a message with your request to listserv@amsat.org. 
Be sure to include your call sign (if any), your correct email address, and 
the proper name of the mailing list you wish to receive (SAREX). Your 
request will be processed manually for now, so the format of your request 
is not important. To unsubscribe from the mailing list, send another 
message with your request to listserv@amsat.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Contact the American Radio Relay League
Educational Activities Department
225 Main Street, Newington CT 06111-1494 USA
Telephone (860) 594-0301, FAX (860) 594-0259, ARRL BBS (860) 594-0306
Internet sarex@arrl.org
World Wide Web http://www.arrl.org/
CompuServe 70007,3373
Prodigy PTYS02A
America Online HQARRL1

ARRL's (Newington, CT) Amateur Radio station (call sign W1AW) transmits 
news bulletins (9:45 PM, 12:45 AM EST) on HF bands at 1.855, 3.99, 7.29, 
14.29, 18.16, 21.39, 28.59 megahertz (MHz) and in the Connecticut-area on 
VHF at 147.555 MHz. W1AW bulletins are also forwarded on packet.

Members of the Goddard Amateur Radio Club (Greenbelt, MD) re-transmit live, 
shuttle air-to-ground audio over the amateur frequencies from their club 
station, WA3NAN. To listen-in, tune to Amateur Radio high frequency (HF) 
bands at 3.86, 7.185, 14.295, 21.395, and 28.65 megahertz (MHz) and in the 
Maryland/DC area on a very high frequency (VHF) band at 147.45 MHz.


The "SAREX Bulletin" contains additional general information on SAREX. This 
document may be obtained electronically from many of the popular on-line 
electronic services (look for SAREXFAQ.TXT).

The American Radio Relay League, Newington Conn. USA

STS76FCT.TXT
RJI 1/15/96
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