_                   
                                                         |_|                  
      V   V   SSSS   OOO   PPPP                 \__      |_|      __/         
      V   V  S      O   O  P   P                   --____/ \____--            
      V   V   SSS   O   O  PPPP                    _ _ _ --- _ _ _            
       V V       S  O   O  P                      |_|_|_|  @|_|_|_|           
        V    SSSS    OOO   P                             o-o                  
                                                          /                   
      ***  N    E    W    S  ***                        <)                    

HALCA RECOVERED

The various thermal, attitude and momentum-related constraints required to recover HALCA finally were all met on Saturday 5th February, and the satellite was stabilized -- once again without the use of the thrusters. After the star trackers were restarted, it was found HALCA was in an unfavourable orientation for use of the star tracker CCDs. Over the last week the satellite has undergone a series of typically 30 degree slews around the anti-sun axis, so that the main antenna is pointing in the same direction but the star trackers are now looking at better patches of sky. The two way 15GHz-link has been re-established with ground tracking stations, and all signs are positive that we will be observing again in March. HALCA's recovery meant it had "woken up" in time for its third birthday on Saturday February 12th!

COMPUTER SECURITY

The efforts of hackers/crackers have been attracting attention around the world this year, and Japan is no exception. A number of government ministries have had their home pages vandalized, and on February 2nd the VSOP web page was attacked in a similar manner. Subsequent checking of other VSOP group workstations revealed a (seemingly?) separate break-in on another machine, with a network packet "sniffer" hidden away two days earlier to capture account names and passwords. The VSOP network has, as a result, undergone a security overhaul (for which, many thanks to Jim Lovell). The web site is up and running again, though not all links are available yet as some disks are still attached to one of the workstations that was broken into, which is currently isolated from the network and awaiting inspection from the police department's computer experts.

ASTRO-E

Computer break-ins are a serious irritation, but are a minor concern compared to the heart-break suffered last week. The latest in ISAS's series of X-ray satellites was launched on Thursday 10th, but a malfunction of the first stage of the M-V rocket resulted in the satellite being inserted into an orbit with an altitude of only 100 km or so, and the satellite probably falling back to Earth soon after. (A more detailed report is currently available from http://www.isas.ac.jp/index-e.html). ASTRO-E was the third launch of the M-V rocket (HALCA was the first) and the first failure of this solid-fueled rocket, however coming on the heels of two unsuccessful launches of the National Space Development Agency's liquid-fueled H-II rocket, there has been some concern expressed in the media about Japan's space program. A review of the failed launch will be carried out and will undoubtedly result in recommendations for future launches. Our sincere commiserations to all members of the ASTRO-E team.

                Editors: Phil Edwards and Hirax Hirabayashi