AMSAT NEWS SERVICE BULLETIN 119.02 FROM AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD, APRIL 29, 2001
TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-119.02

Mission STS-100 continues as this edition of ANS is broadcast. During
the past week troubleshooting efforts designed to restore full capability to
Alpha's three redundant command and control computers continued.
Initial troubleshooting efforts have failed to resolve the problem, and
flight controllers once again worked a procedure to re-string data
management functions to the third computer, however, the computer
problems continue and flight control teams are evaluating the situation.

Reloading the Raffaello logistics module with unneeded station
equipment and supplies for return to Earth also took place. The Italian
Space Agency-provided Raffaello logistics module is now loaded with
1,600 pounds of material and is tucked securely in Endeavour's payload
bay. A practice run with the new station arm to rehearse moves the arm
must make during the next shuttle assembly mission to the station (to
attach a new airlock) were also conducted.

As this edition of ANS was prepared, Endeavour had backed away
from the International Space Station as the two spacecraft soared
240 miles over the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia.

As Pilot Jeff Ashby slowly backed Endeavour away, Commander
Kent Rominger and Expedition-2 flight engineer Susan Helms
exchanged final wishes for Endeavour's planned return to Earth,
and a continued safe journey for the station crew.  Once Endeavour
was at a distance of 450 feet from the station, Ashby initiated a
three-quarter circle flyaround of the station as Mission Specialist Yuri
Lonchakov activated a large-format IMAX camera in Endeavour's
payload bay to photograph the station.

On board the station, the Expedition-2 crew - Commander Yury
Usachev and Flight Engineers Jim Voss and Helms - will enjoy some
time off following a busy week on orbit. Early Monday morning, they
will support the docking of a replacement Soyuz spacecraft that will
serve as the station's lifeboat. The Soyuz and its crew of three,
Commander Talgat Musabayev, Flight Engineer Yuri Baturin and
American businessman Dennis Tito -- is scheduled to dock very
early Monday morning.

The ARISS team informed ANS that the crew had left the ISS ham
radio gear turned on recently. Several stations reported QSO's with
ISS, including AMSAT Awards Manager Bruce Paige, KK5DO, and
AMSAT-NA Vice President W2RS. Ray reported working Jeff Ashby,
The shuttle pilot of the STS-100 mission. Ken, WA1QXR, also worked
Ashby. Ken was mobile at the time using 20-watts into a
5/8-wavelength vertical on car roof.

Those that are still unclear on how to work the ISS Amateur Radio
system are encouraged to carefully review the ARISS web page
located at:

http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov/