SAREX FACT SHEET -- STS-71 Media Contact: Jennifer Hagy Media Relations Assistant American Radio Relay League (203) 666-1541, Ext. 328 SHUTTLE ATLANTIS ASTRONAUTS TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTS VIA AMATEUR RADIO. With the help of Amateur Radio clubs and ham radio operators, astronauts have been speaking over the ham airwaves while in orbit, as part of the Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX). During mission STS-71, the crew will be talking directly with large groups of the general public, showing teachers, students, parents and communities how Amateur Radio energizes youngsters about science, technology, and learning. Mission Specialist Ellen S. Baker and Pilot Charlie Precourt are both Amateur Radio operators. Ellen previously used ham radio from aboard the Shuttle Columbia during STS-50 in June 1992, and her call sign is KB5SIX. Charlie is KB5YSQ and also operated SAREX from Columbia during STS-55 in April 1993. Amateur Radio has been flying aboard the shuttles since 1983. WHEN: Launch is scheduled for no earlier than June 19, 1995. The approximate launch time is 6:43 PM EDT (2243 UTC) from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Landing is scheduled for June 30, 1995 at 2:14 PM EDT (1814 UTC) at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. 10 day, 19 hour mission. WHERE: The launch will place the shuttle into Earth orbit at an altitude of 184 miles and an inclination of 51.6 degrees. During this mission, the altitude may vary between 196-245 miles. WHY: NASA's intent in making astronauts available for SAREX operations is to involve the largest possible numbers of people, particularly youngsters, 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): Robert L. "Hoot" Gibson, Commander Charles J. "Charlie" Precourt, Pilot, call sign KB5YSQ Ellen S. Baker, Mission Specialist, call sign KB5SIX Gregory J. "Greg" Harbaugh, Mission Specialist Bonnie J. Dunbar, Mission Specialist Anatoly Yakovlevich Soloviev, Mission Specialist (Mir 19 Commander) Nikolai Mikhailovich Budarin, Mission Specialist (Mir 19 Flight Eng) PAYLOAD: Primary Objective--1st Mir Docking During the STS-71 mission, the crew will rendezvous and, for the first time, dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. The shuttle will carry two new Mir crew members (Mir 19) to the station, and return to Earth with the three Mir 18 crew members (Vladimir Dezhurov, Gennadiy Strekalov, and Norm Thagard). This mission is the first of at least seven shuttle flights to Mir. The effort is a precursor to building the International Space Station. 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: Forest Avenue School Hudson, MA Suffolk Community College Selden, NY Benbrook Elementary School Benbrook, TX Redlands High School Redlands, CA School Number 3 Yessentuki Yessentuki, Russia 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 will be the first shuttle-Mir docking mission, and SAREX and Mir amateur radio stations usually share the same downlink frequency (145.55), the SAREX Working Group has decided to make the following SAREX frequency changes for the STS-71 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." CALL SIGNS: FM voice call signs KB5SIX, KB5YSQ QSL VIA: Send reports and QSLs to ARRL EAD, STS-71 QSL, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111-1494, USA. Include the following information in your QSL or report: STS-71, date, time in UTC, frequency and mode (FM voice). In addition, you must also include a SASE using a large, business-sized envelope if you wish to receive a card. The Sacred Hearts Academy Radio Club in Honolulu, HI has generously volunteered to manage the cards for this mission. SHUTTLE TRACKING: Current Keplerian elements to track the shuttle are available from the 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 Keplerian elements may also be downloaded from the ARRL BBS: (203) 666- 0578. Also, the Johnson Space Center ARC BBS will have the latest element sets available during the flight:(713) 244-5625. The following are prelaunch Keplerian elements for STS-71: STS-71 1 99971U 95160.19121193 .00171834 00000-0 27545-3 0 17 2 99971 51.6417 198.7841 0040351 359.5716 .5264 16.01466981 29 These estimated pre-launch elements are based on a launch on 9 June 1995 at 0310 UTC, and are provided courtesy of Gil Carman, WA5NOM, NASA Johnson Space Center. CONFIGURATION: During STS-71, the SAREX hardware will be flown in configuration M. Configuration M uses the shuttle/Mir VHF radio for FM voice radio contacts. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Contact the American Radio Relay League, Educational Activities Department, 225 Main Street, Newington CT 06111-1494 USA Telephone (203) 666-1541, FAX (203) 665-7531, ARRL BBS (203) 666-0578 Internet ead@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 3.99, 7.29, 14.29, 18.16, 21.39, 28.59 and VHF at 147.555 MHz. W1AW bulletins are also forwarded on packet. Goddard Amateur Radio Club's (Greenbelt, MD) Amateur Radio station (call sign WA3NAN) transmits SAREX news and shuttle-to-mission control retransmissions during SAREX missions. Tune to Amateur Radio high frequency (HF) bands at 3.86, 7.185, 14.295, 21.395, and 28.65 megahertz (MHz) and on very high frequency (VHF) bands at 147.45 MHz. GARC also maintains a Bulletin Board System (BBS) which is accessible via the Internet, modem and packet radio. The BBS contains Keplerian orbital elements updated daily, AMSAT and SAREX bulletins and Space Shuttle mission information. Via Internet: wa3nan.gsfc.nasa.gov or 128.183.105.17 Via telephone: (301) 286-4137 Via packet: WA3NAN on 145.090 MHz in DC area. The "SAREX Bulletin" contains additional general information on SAREX. This document may be obtained electronically from many of the popular on-line electronic services. The American Radio Relay League, Newington Conn. USA STS71FCT.TXT RJI 5/95 eof