_          
                                             |_|         
 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  ***               <)             

5 GHz FRINGES!

More good news from the on-going In-Orbit Checkout, with fringes being found at 5 GHz with data from the Goldstone, Green Bank and Usuda tracking stations. The second week of July was a very successful one at the Socorro correlator, with fringes being found via the Goldstone tracking station for the first time. These first fringes were found in observations at a wavelength of 18cm, but fringes at 6cm followed a day later. The first Green Bank 6cm fringes were detected soon afterwards, and the first fringe detection at Socorro with data from the Usuda Tracking station occurred later the same week. The first Usuda fringes were in fact found at 5cm, with fringes at 18cm being detected later! The first 5GHz images are now being made.

As there are three `flavours' of tracking stations - (i) Usuda/ISAS (ii) Green Bank/NRAO and (iii) Goldstone, Tidbinbilla and Madrid/NASA-DSN - and three `flavours' of correlator (i) Mitaka/VSOP (ii) Penticton/S2 and (iii) Socorro/ VLBA-MkIV, there are nine different pathways between tracking stations and correlators. Penticton and Socorro have now successfully correlated data from all three kinds of tracking stations. Delays in the VLBA-->VSOP copier have meant this route has not been able to be tested, but S2 tapes from Green Bank and Goldstone have been sent to Mitaka to test the remaining two pathways.

CORRECTION

Last issue we reported that the Penticton correlator had found fringes and was undertaking imaging with data recorded in part with the `Tidbinbilla 64m'. It has been brought to our attention that the telescope has, and has had for some time, a diameter of 70m. We apologise for the oversight. Clearly the Tidbinbilla telescope is Tidbin-bigger than we thought!

TANABATA

July 7th is `Tanabata', the star festival, in Japan. Japanese tradition has it that on this one night of the year a pair of lovers forced to reside on opposite sides of the Milky Way are allowed to meet. The stars Vega and Altair represent Orihime (the weaving princess) and her lover Hikoboshi, respectively. These latter two names have also been chosen by NASDA (Japan's National Space Development Agency) as the names for two satellites that will be used to attempt the first docking of unmanned space vehicles via Earth-based remote control. Closer to home, we are pleased to report that the recently-married George Moellenbrock has returned to Japan with his wife, Karen. The two will be allowed to see each other for more than just one night per year!

 
       Editors: Phil Edwards and Hirax Hirabayashi