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KP4IG > SAT 28.11.03 23:13l 42 Lines 1461 Bytes #999 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS-334.07
Read: GUEST
Subj: Reception of MARS EXPRESS Signal
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0EA<DB0RES<ON0BEL<KP4IG
Sent: 031128/2106Z @:KP4IG.#JD.PR.USA.NA #:9524 WFBB7.00i $:ANS-334.07
From: KP4IG@KP4IG.#JD.PR.USA.NA
To : SAT@AMSAT
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 334.07 From AMSAT HQ
SILVER SPRING, MD. November 30, 2003
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-334.07
Dear All,
The european MARS EXPRESS probe will arrive on Mars on Christmas Day
and deploy the lander BEAGLE toward the Mars surface.
Joint preparations by the IUZ and the AMSAT-DL for this event have started
months ago, because the 20 metre parabolic antenna is also deemed to be used
as ground station for the AMSAT-DL future P5-A Mars Mission.
On Sunday, Nov. 16th, Germany saw a first ever event when a strong (40dB/Hz)
8.4 GHz signal of the MARS EXPRESS - at that moment 102 million kilometer
distant - was directly received at Bochum over a number of hours.
It was the first time ever that a signal of an interplanetary deep space
probe was received in Germany. It was probably also the first time ever that
such
a signal was received by amateur radio operators.
With this successful test the general functional and operational readiness
of the 20 metre parabolic antenna in Bochum to serve as AMSAT-DL command
station for the P5A Mars Mission has been proven. It will then be used to
navigate
the P5-A Satellite in 2007 safely towards Mars and to enter a Mars orbit.
The complete report is here:
http://www.amsat-dl.org/p5a/p5a-bochum-eng.htm
Peter Guelzow, DB2OS
President AMSAT-DL
http://www.amsat-dl.org/
[ANS thanks Peter, DB2OS for the above information]
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