LAWMAKERS SEEK PROBE INTO ARECIBO COLLAPSE
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, Congress is taking a second look at the
collapse of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Paul Braun, WD9GCO,
tells us more.
PAUL: Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., plan an investigation into the
December collapse at the Arecibo Observatory, just weeks after Puerto
Rico's outgoing governor committed $8 million in resources to rebuild
its historic radiotelescope.
In the December 1st collapse, the dish was gashed beyond repair
following the crash of a 900-ton instrument platform. The telescope, a
valued cornerstone in modern astronomy, was being decommissioned by the
US National Science Foundation following other damage that occurred
weeks earlier. At the time of the final collapse, it had been earmarked
for dismantling.
Congress has requested a report by the end of February.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO
(SPACE.COM)
**
IOWA STUDENTS' BALLOON CIRCLES EARTH A THIRD TIME
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The world has kept turning into the new year and so too
has one Iowa amateur radio club's balloon project. Jack Parker, W8ISH,
has that story.
JACK: Three circumnavigations after its launch, the Pella Amateur Radio
Club's APRS balloon was still the pride of the Jefferson Intermediate
School fifth graders who'd helped launch it back in November. It ended
the year 2020 as a success in the sky. Transmitting on 144.39 MHz with
the callsign WB0URW-8, the helium-filled balloon had completed three
trips around the world since its November 5th launch and seemed
unstoppable. It was still making its rounds as 2021 dawned, according to
radio club member Jim Emmert, WB0URW. Jim told KNIA-KRLS radio that in
its third trip around Planet Earth, the balloon passed over Canada,
Greenland, Portugal, Spain, Albania and North Macedonia - among many
other places. Powered by solar panels, the balloon can be tracked by
following the link that appears in this week's script on our website at
arnewsline.org.
[for print only, do not read: https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FWB0URW-
8&timerange=604800&tail=604800]
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: According to a January 6th report by the radio station,
the balloon has since completed its fourth trip - a journey that takes
about two weeks. The students have reason to be proud.
**
PROJECT EYES DIRECT WAY TO GATHER SOLAR POWER
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine collecting the solar power you need from a spot
much, much closer to the sun. Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us about a
project that's doing more than just imagining.
JIM: The US Air Force Research Laboratory is hanging its hopes on
something called Helios. It's a key component named after the Greek sun
god and is part of an experiment known as Arachne (Uh-RACK-Knee)
expected to be launched into space in 2024. The formal name of the
project is the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research
solar beaming project.
What's that? The Air Force lab describes it as a project that will
explore a way to harvest solar energy directly from space, where
sunlight is more potent outside the Earth's atmosphere and where solar
panels have more hours of exposure. Through use of something called
"sandwich tiles" and other systems, the experiment will convert the
collected energy to radio waves for beaming back to Earth as usable
power.
Helios, which is being supplied by Northrup Grumman, will house the
platform on which these solar beaming experiments occur. Northrup
Grumman's role has left the Air Force lab free to concentrate on
acquiring a spacecraft where it might all begin to happen.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.
(CLEAN TECHNICA, POPULAR MECHANICS, US AIR FORCE)
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WB
ZERO YLE (WB0YLE) repeater on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., through Allstar, in
Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and Fall River, Massachusetts.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (57:57/10)
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