_                    
                                                         |_|                   
      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  ***                        <)                     
 

INTEGRATION TESTS

This has been the final week of the first half of the flight module first integration tests at ISAS. Checking of the radio astronomy on-board system continued this week. The `top' satellite panel, which supports the LNAs, was removed and sent to Mitsubishi for interfacing with the feed assembly over the next few weeks. Testing at ISAS resumes on September 28th with the addition of the 8m antenna system and the reaction control system.

TELEMETRY COMPATIBILITY TESTS

Compatibility tests for the K-band ground telemetry station electronics will be carried out between September 14th and 27th. Testing will be first at JPL, before moving onto Scientific Atlanta and then Green Bank. The Muses-B on-board simulator, assembled from engineering model modules, will be sent from Japan with two VSOP team members for the tests.

M-V ROCKET TESTS

Muses-B is planned to be the first launch with the ISAS developed M-V rocket. The three-stage, solid fuel, rocket allows a launch of payloads up to 1800kg in low Earth orbit, or 800kg into a Muses-B type orbit. A successful 1st-stage test firing was carried out on the 21st of June at the rocket testing facility at Noshiro, in northern Honshu. A firing test of the kick-motor (effectively a 4th stage) follows later this month, and a 2nd-stage firing test in October.

AFTER-WORD

September 1st marked the 71st anniversary of the Great Kantou Earthquake, which destroyed much of Tokyo and Yokohama and resulted in the deaths of about 100,000 people. Each year the day is used for displays of disaster relief and emergency rescues and drills. One very slight tremor was felt in Tokyo during the week...

Much larger reverberations were felt in NASDA following unsuccessful attempts to boost the perigee of Kiku 6, the test communications satellite launched by H-II rocket at the end of August. The H-II is designed with the capability to put a 2 tonne satellite in geo-stationary orbit or a 9 tonne satellite in low earth orbit, with an eye to competing internationally for satellite launches. The inability to fire the "perigee-up" booster rockets as required meant that it was not possible to boost the orbit, however a solar panel was successfully deployed and some of the satellites planned tests may be able to be carried out. NASDA, Japan's National Space Development Agency, is an entirely separate body from ISAS. Chrysanthemum is the English translation of Kiku: coincidentally, today is "chrysanthemum festival" day in Japan.

 
 
       Editors: Phil Edwards and Hirax Hirabayashi