_                    
                                                         |_|                   
      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  ***                        <)                     
 

Although no explanation should be necessary, the depiction at right shows the main antenna, subreflector, solar panels, main body with star tracker, two reaction control system tanks and the Ku-band antenna. A big thanks to Murata-san who played a key role in this particular satellite's design.

The week of August 15-19 was the o-bon holiday in Japan. In practice this translates as "summer holidays", and so VSOP integration tests were halted as all NEC personnel had a weeks vacation. The o-bon holiday is traditionally when people return to their home towns to pay their respects to their ancestors' spirits, which have also returned home for the occasion. (So heaven is empty during o-bon!) And so perhaps last week the spirit of the VSOP project visited Europe to pay its respects to its "ancestors" Quasat and IVS...

One day before the ISAS Open Day (see VSOP news no. 1), a 1/10 scale model of the Muses-B satellite arrived at ISAS. The model took pride of place in the Open Day display, and is currently exhibited in the foyer of the Main Building at ISAS.

MUSES-B INTEGRATION TESTS

This week the integration tests have resumed. Problems with the GPS system several weeks ago resulted in it being returned to the factory. These have been fixed, and the GPS system rejoined the satellite for full astronomical system checks starting on Thursday 25th. Signals sent both via the satellite downlink system and through the ground radio telescope equipment have been successfully correlated.

VSOG and VISC MEETINGS

It is now planned to have the VISC (VSOP International Scientific Council) meeting on October 26 and 27, preceded by a VSOG (VSOP Science Operations Group) meeting on October 24 and 25. During these meetings the satellite flight module will be able to be inspected in the clean room at ISAS.

VSOP NEWS DISTRIBUTION, RADIOASTRON NEWS

Please feel free to distribute this newsletter amongst your colleagues. A master distribution list is being compiled at ISAS: e-mail www@vsop.isas.ac.jp to have your name added to this list. We are happy to hear from Slava Slysh that the first Radioastron Newsletter is being currently being planned.

 
 
       Editors: Phil Edwards and Hirax Hirabayashi