_                    
                                                         |_|                   
      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  ***                        <)                     
 

VSOP TEST RUN

Next Tuesday, 13th of February will see the first VSOP observations. No, launch has not suddenly been brought forward seven months -- these will be ground-only observations. In order to test the various interfaces between the VSOG (VSOP Science Operations Group) and participating ground radio telescopes, the NRAO, EVN, ATNF and other telescopes have kindly agreed to participate in this test run. Observations of bright continuum and line sources will be made in a variety of formats, with translation and re-correlating of some tapes planned for the Mitaka correlator. Further test runs, and a number of tests of tracking station interfaces, are also planned before the VSOP satellite launch this September.

EXPRESS FOUND!

The Japanese-German EXPRESS (EXPerimental REentry Space System) satellite was launched by an ISAS M-3SII rocket in January last year. The satellite was not able to be inserted in the correct orbit, and was subsequently lost (see VSOP news no. 12). Late last year reports reached ISAS of a capsule matching the EXPRESS dimensions having been discovered in Ghana. A visit by Japanese officials to the western African nation last month confirmed that it was indeed the EXPRESS capsule. The capsule's parachute automatically deployed during the (somewhat earlier than scheduled) re-entry, and the 765 kg capsule landed safely in an isolated area. Although micro-gravity experiments planned for the period that the satellite was in orbit were not carried out, the tests of the capsule materials for re-entry ended up being successfully made!

USUDA

Installation of a new radio-astronomy observing system is underway for the Usuda 64 m antenna. A single feed has been added for observations in all three VSOP frequency bands. The Usuda 64 m will only be available for limited use for VSOP co-observing due to its commitments to deep space tracking of other ISAS missions.

CULTURAL QUIZ

In the last issue we asked what the meaning was of `H8'. All answers (and more) are correct. Phonetically, H8 would be intense dislike (i.e. hate). The current NASDA launch vehicle is the H-II, so sometime next century they may well have progressed to the H8. From the spelling viewpoint, the answer is tallness (i.e. height). For most Japanese however, H8 is an abbreviation for Heisei 8, the 8th year of the current Emperor's reign, i.e. this year.

 
 
       Editors: Phil Edwards and Hirax Hirabayashi