MINUTES

 

of the RadioAstron Teleconference 5

May 27, 2004

Willem Baan chaired the teleconference.

The agenda of the teleconference and the list of participants are attached as an Appendix A to the Minutes.

 

The main intent of the teleconference was to discuss current status of mission development.

 

1.                  Kardashev informed the participants about the project status. He ensured the participants that funding for 2004 is sufficient to provide development of all scientific payload at the ASC as well as to cover the development of the spacecraft bus at LA. In particular, he explained that the new spacecraft bus will be developed for the mission by LA. The bus will include new devices operating in unhermetic (vacuum) condition; and such construction will reduce the total mass of the spacecraft. The main reason for such modifications of the bus is the fact that many devices used for the old bus are currently outdated, while the new devices already exist and were used for different space projects in flight. The new bus itself will be used for two missions before the RadioAstron flight. The new bus will have guaranty operation live time of 5 years or even more. Kardashev ensured the participants that replacement of the bus will not cause delay in RadioAstron mission development and launch. Kardashev also informed the participants that ASC has stopped negotiation with ESA about on-board H-maser for RadioAstron. Instead, ASC will have contract with the Russian firm in Nizhnii Novgorod for the development and manufacturing of such H-maser; necessary additional funding will be provided by the RSA.

2.                  Andreyanov informed the participants about the progress in the development of flight models for the science payload. He stated that the flight models for 92-cm and 1.35-cm receivers, formatter, BUAS and VIRK will be delivered to the ASC to the end of 2004. As for the engineering models of the science payload, they will be used at the ASC for the additional tests in laboratory in order to improve the performance in accordance with the results of Pushchino tests. The SRT itself will be used in LA for vibration tests. The flight models of on-board 6-cm receiver which in response on the request from the EVN were delivered to ESA office in Moscow for shipment to ASTRON/JIVE; all problems with Russian custom seem to be solved. The situation with 18-cm receiver is not clear yet.

3.                  There were several questions to Andreyanov concerning the results of Pushchino tests. Foreign participants asked ASC to distribute the Report on the tests in Russian language as pdf-file.

4.                  Likhachev explained to the participants his efforts to investigate the problem of compatibility of receiving system at the ground radio telescopes with the RadioAstron 22-GHz receiver operation in MFS mode. He found that 10 VLA dishes will be able to operate in such mode in 2006. The possibility also exists at the GBT and some other big radio telescope. Altunin said that DSN 70-m antennas may be tested on operation in the MFS mode too, but it is necessary to present formal proposal to the DSN Program Committee in order to get observing time. The problem of correlation of such tests was discussed. It was decided that Likhachev will prepare the report on the subject to the next RadioAstron meeting.

5.                  The next teleconference was appointed on September 9 2004.

 

Appendix A

Agenda for the Teleconference on RadioAstron on May 27 2004.

 

1. Sound check and attendance.
2. Review and corrections of the telecon's agenda - W. Baan.
3. Information on project status and development - N.Kardashev
4. Information on hardware development - V. Anreyanov
5. Plans to tests of VLBA operations in MFS mode compatible with RadioAstron - S.Likhachev
6. The date of the next teleconference and Radioastron meeting.

 

List of participants:

 

1.      Andreyanov V., ASC, Russia

2.      Altunin V.I., JPL, USA

3.      Baan W.A., ASTRON, The Netherlands

4.      Cannon W., CRESTech, Canada

5.      D'Addario L., NRAO, USA

6.      Gurvits L., JIVE, The Netherlands

7.      Van't Klooster K., ESA, The Netherlands

8.      Kanevsky B., ASC, Russia

9.      Kardashev N.S., ASC, Russia

10.  Kellermann K., NRAO, USA

11.  Kovalev Yu, NRAO/ASC

12.  Lobanov A., MPIfR, Germany

13.  Langston G., NRAO, USA

14.  Likhachev S., ASC, Russia

15.  Lobanov A. MPIfR, Germany

16.  Popov M.V., ASC, Russia

17.  Preston R. JPL, USA

18.  Romney J., NRAO, USA

19.  Slysh V.I., ASC, Russia

20.  Vasilkov V.I., ASC, Russia