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ZL2TZE > SAREX 11.07.97 01:27l 55 Lines 2265 Bytes #-10401 (0) @ WW
BID : 48329_ZL2TZE
Read: DL6MCU DL2BR GUEST OE7FMI
Subj: Fantastic Mir to shuttle contact!
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Sent: 970712/1044Z @:ZL2TZE.#73.NZL.OC #:48329 Blenheim 7.00c $:
From: ZL2TZE@ZL2TZE.#73.NZL.OC
To : SAREX@WW
>To: sarex@amsat.org, sarex-wg@amsat.org
>From: Philip Chien <kc4yer@amsat.org>
>Subject: Fantastic Mir to shuttle contact!
>X-PMFLAGS: 34078848 0
On July 8th at 2:00 pm Central Daylight Time (17:00 UTC) astronaut Mike
Foale KB5UAC aboard the Mir space station contacted the Johnson Space
Center amateur radio club W5RRR. The club used a phone patch through
NASA's communications circuits to the space shuttle. Mike talked to the
crew aboard Columbia for almost ten minutes, telling his fellow astronauts
about the current situation on Mir.
Janice Voss KB5BLK had flown with Foale on the STS-63 Mir rendezvous
mission, and had remarked that the two space programs were so intertwined
that she had a package of Russian corn aboard the shuttle. Foale replied
that the tea which he had just drank (the first hot tea in a while) was the
typical instant tea which is part of the shuttle's pantry. Foale described
the situation aboard Mir enthsiastically, comparing the unloading of the
Progress freighter like Christmas. He mentioned that they had received
tea, coffee, chocolate and even fresh food - which made the shuttle crew
envious since they had long since consumed all of their fresh food.
During the contact Mir passed from the northwest to southeast, and Foale
reported looking out of the flight engineer's window and seeing Florida.
The shuttle was approximately 1000 miles further to the West.
The shuttle went through a handover from the East to West Tracking Data and
Relay Satellite which cut it off for a short period. During that time
capcom Bill McArthur KC5ACR got the opportunity to exchange a few words
with Foale.
Foale also talked to astronaut Mike Gernhardt N0CALL, and shuttle commander
Jim Halsell KC5RNI. He also gave Mir flight engineer Sasha Lazutkin the
opportunity to talk to the shuttle crew.
Special congradulations to the Johnson Space Center amateur radio club,
especially SAREX Principal Investigator Matt Bordelon KC5BTL for their
efforts to make this contact possible.
A segment of the contact will be replayed on NASA TV during the Flight Day
8 Highlights which will air at 12 noon Eastern time on July 9th.
Philip Chien [M1959.05.31/31.145//KC4YER@amsat.org]
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