_                    
                                                         |_|                   
      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 LAUNCH DELAYED!

Just over a week ago, a big decision was made on the Muses-B launch date. Because of a problem with the inertial gyro electronics which control M-V rocket attitude, the Muses-B launch will be delayed. The problem appeared in the fiber optical gyro: after vibration testing the gyro drift rate was found to exceed specifications. The next available launch window after this September is January-February 1997, and this is now the expected launch date for Muses-B. Upon this decision, the project timeline will be changed accordingly. The current draft plan for the spacecraft is: the Muses-B spacecraft main body integration testing at ISAS will stop next week for 3 months, while the 8m antenna adjustment and testing works will continue, and the whole integrated work of the spacecraft will finish in the middle of December, so that the launch can be in the middle to end of January. More realistic timelines of the project will be announced as soon as they become known.

MEETINGS AT ISAS

The meetings planned for next week at ISAS for the In-Orbit Checkout and Survey Working Group will go ahead as planned. The In-Orbit Checkout workshop will be held on Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th, with the Survey Working Group meeting on Wednesday 17th.

VSOP NEW MEMBERS

After Misha Popov joined VSOG at ISAS a month ago, another great partner joined on July 1st, Dr Edward Fomalont from NRAO as ISAS visiting Professor for 1 year term. Dr Philip Edwards will join VSOG as 3rd term on July 8th with 1 year term at ISAS as a COE (Center of Excellence) Research Fellow from Monbusho. Monbusho is the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (MESSC). Hirax noticed that MESSC can be re-ordered to MCSES, and then by 90 degrees rotation of C into U, be incarnated as MUSES! The Muses-B spacecraft was inspected by the Monbusho Minister, M. Okuda, during his visit to ISAS last month.

TANABATA

July 7th is `Tanabata', or the star festival, in Japan. It is said that on this one night of the year a couple of lovers on opposite sides of the Milky Way, Vega (wife) and Altair (man), meet! The just-married Phil Edwards returns to Japan this week: his wife, Leanne, will follow next month. This delayed `Tanabata' will bring them together in the same side of the Galaxy, and, more specifically, the same side of the globe, but hopefully for more than just one night!

 
 
              Editor: Hirax Hirabayashi