SAREX Fact Sheet--STS-76 Last updated 4:59 PM EST on 02/23/96 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 eof