STATUS:

As of Friday 15 Jan, we received notice that the Boeing License for the Launch
Vehicle for Technology Export had not originally included a University Payload.
Therefore for NATSweb to be attached to the Dummy-Sat at this late date would
require the prepearation and staffing of a revised Technology Export License
from Boeing through the State Department for the whole launch system.

19 Jan: BACK ON TRACK!  Boeing wants us, since we will provide them the only
attitude and telemetry capability.  THey have obtained approval from all of
their international partners to proceed with us and are working our integration
into their time-line.  The Technology Export license is not a problem, since
Boeing will just include our payload under their umbrella.  We turn it over to 
them and they launch it as "theirs" which would not need to change the license.

25 Jan the COMM system was activated and tested to 30 Watts.  Tests were
satisfactory and showed amble capacity to handle our design objective of
10 watts.

26 Jan we completed a Mockup and took photos for shipment to Weber State
for sizing and mounting considerations.

27 Jan:  Transmitter was thermal tested from -10 to +110 deg F
(-23 to +43 Celsius).  Power readings varried from 25 watts at 14 volts
and 110 deg down to only 9 watts at 12 volts and -10 deg F.  Power
was constant at the high temperatures representing good stability.

28 Jan:  Telemetry conditioner completely rebuilt due to added .7 volt drop
for bank switching between Current and Temperature sensors.  Major job!

29 Jan:  Shipped full-size mockup to Home Port.  Constructed Vibration model
of antenna and bonding tests.  Needs shaking to 2.5G random vibration for
30 minutes.  Built Antenna model and tuned to SWR of 1.0:1 at 145 MHz by
using 1" wide by 18" long Steel tape.  Updated WEB page.

TWO WEEKS of ROUND-THE-CLOCK WORK (not shown here)..

11 Feb: Ready to go.  Integration with the launcher now scheduled for 1600 on 
THurs the 18th of Feb!

12 Feb: CANCELLED!  Just got word that Boeing was unable to get State Department
to accept the NATSweb as a small addition to the Sea Launch Technology Export 
License without a total re-submission by Boeing for their entire Sea Launch
System.  Thus, we are bumped by bureaucrats. End of mission.....  :-(

de WB4APR, Bob