Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:14:11 PM CDT

Shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach stated that Endeavour's launch will be no earlier than Monday at 2:33 p.m. EDT. Engineers need that time to troubleshoot an issue that resulted in today’s launch scrub.

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:35:36 AM CDT

Preparations for space shuttle Endeavour's launch are continuing as planned at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly and his crew also are continuing their prelaunch activities. Liftoff to the International Space Station is scheduled for 3:47 p.m. EDT Friday.

The ISS Progress 42 resupply craft launched Wednesday morning to replenish the International Space Station. Launch was at 9:05 a.m. EDT (7:05 p.m. Kazakhstan time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The Russian cargo craft will dock to the Pirs docking compartment at 10:29 a.m. Friday.

Topics in this report:
1. Upcoming School Contacts
2. Recent ARISS Contacts
3. ARISS International Team Meeting Held
4. ARISS in ARRL QST
5. AMSAT Update on ARISSat-1

1. Upcoming School Contacts
The Italian Air Force Academy in Pozzuoli, Italy has been scheduled for an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact on Thursday, April 28 at 07:04 UTC via telebridge station LU1CGB in Argentina. This contact has been integrated into the aerospace engineering curriculum for cadets and will draw interest from the scientific community.

The departure of an unpiloted Russian cargo craft Friday set the stage for the arrival of the next supply ship and a final visit from space shuttle Endeavour.

The ISS Progress 41 cargo craft, filled with trash and other unneeded items, undocked from the Pirs docking compartment at 7:41 a.m. EDT Friday as the International Space Station flew 220 miles over China. Expedition 27 Commander Dmitry Kondratyev monitored the undocking and photographed the Progress through a window in the Russian segment of the station as it slowly backed away from the orbiting complex.

The six Expedition 27 crew members of the International Space Station worked Tuesday toward completing the mission of a cargo ship, continuing scientific research and practicing roles and responsibilities in the event of an emergency.

The crew also noted a milestone in the station’s history: the 10th anniversary of the launch of the station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2 aboard space shuttle Endeavour on April 19, 2001.

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 03:53:52 PM CDT

NASA managers announced that space shuttle Endeavour is ready to launch next week on its final flight to the International Space Station following a daylong Flight Readiness Review on Tuesday. Endeavour is scheduled to launch Friday, April 29, at 3:47 p.m. EDT.

Topics in this report:
1. Upcoming School Contacts
2. Recent ARISS Contacts
3. ARRL Article on ARISS Telebridge Station
4. AMSAT Update on ARISSat-1
5. Amateur Radio Newsline on ARISS
6. Astronaut Training Status

1. Upcoming School Contacts

The planned operation of ARISSat-1/RadioSkaf-V/KEDR on April 11 and April 12 from inside the International Space Station as part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight was not successful. No earth stations on the ground reported hearing transmissions on the ARISSat-1 downlink(145.950 MHz for FM analog/145.920 MHz for digital). The planned retransmission of the satellite's FM downlink via the Kenwood TM-D700 transceiver --currently used for ARISS contacts--was also not successful as no reports were received of signals heard on 437.550 MHz.

RadioSkaf's Alexander, RA3WOK, just wrote me that they do, indeed, suspect battery failure of the ARISSat-1.

Investigation and plans for deployment continue.

"According to preliminary information the problem is a failure of the battery ... "

"In the near future, batteries will be on Earth. It cannot be kept on the ISS."

"The situation will improve in June and July, when scheduled launching of ARISSat-1."

Clint, K6LCS
http://www.work-sat.com