_                    
                                                         |_|                   
      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  ***                        <)                     
 

COUNTDOWN

On Sunday 2nd June there were 100 days left to the nominal launch date! The original launch window was the whole month of September, however due to delays encountered in both the rocket and satellite preparation, the earliest date for the launch is currently September 10th. The spacecraft is now in the space chamber at ISAS for 10 days of testing. A selection of key events between now and launch are:

• 16th Jun: The second VSOP test run, with ground radio telescopes and the Green Bank tracking station participating, takes place.
• 1st Jul: A week of Usuda Tracking Station testing begins.
• 2nd Jul: Testing of the 8m antenna finishes at Mitsubishi, and the antenna returns to ISAS.
• 10th Jul: Two weeks of rocket and dummy satellite integration tests begin at the Kagoshima Space Center (KSC).
• 15/16Jul: A two-day meeting at ISAS for In-Orbit Checkout plans.
• 17th Jul: A one-day Survey Working Group meeting at ISAS.
• 3rd Aug: The Annual ISAS Open Day. With the VSOP launch imminent, the spotlight will be on MUSES-B satellite and M-V rocket.
• 9th Aug: Final satellite integration testing finishes on Aug. 2 at ISAS. The satellite and spacecraft operations equipment is packed for transportation to the KSC.
• 16th Aug: The satellite and operations equipment testing starts at the KSC.
• 27th Aug: Connection of the satellite to the M-V rocket starts at the KSC.
• 10th Sep: The launch window begins with 11:30 JST launch. The 8m antenna sub-reflector and main-reflector are deployed on the 10th & 11th days after launch.

MERGERS

`Arigatou' to all those on proposals merged by the SRC who have contacted the mission with the details of the designated contact person for the merged team. Those who have not done so are requested to do so as soon as possible.

NEW VSOP TEAM MEMBERS AT ISAS

The VSOP team is being boosted with the addition of three new members. Misha Popov arrived at ISAS last week from the ASC in Moscow, to commence a one-year visiting Professorship. At the same time Tsuneo Kii, newly promoted to an assistant Professorship at ISAS, joined the team. Kii-san (who is already enduring puns about the `Kii Science Projects') was previously a member of the X-ray group at ISAS, and brings with him a wealth of experience in satellite operations. Ed Fomalont will arrive at ISAS later this month from the NRAO in the USA, to take up a one-year ISAS visiting Professorship.

 
 
       Editors: Phil Edwards and Hirax Hirabayashi