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The latest update on
developments concerning the Leonid MAC airborne campaigns.
Updates
Sep 15, 1999
At the meeting in Israel. From left to right, Dr. Mark Rosenkrantz,
Dr. Noah Brosch, Dr. Peter Jenniskens, Capt. Steve Butow, Dr. Yuval
Ne'eman, and Dr. Sarah Beck.
Diary from
European site survey
September 15 - I arrived in London, only to discover that Steve and
T.J. were delayed. Steve caught an upper respiratory illness and spend
some time at a clinic in London. Both caught up with me in Tel Aviv the
next day and Steve was well enough to make his presentation at the
Israeli Leonid Workshop at Tel Aviv University today. The meeting
was opened by Prof. Yuval Ne'eman, chiarman of the Israeli Space Agency
and an icon of Israeli space research, and the Director General of ISA,
Dr. Aby Har-Even. We learned about the
observing plans in Israel and discussed the coordination with the
airborne campaign. The effort involves phased array radar, ELF/VHF
observations, and meteor train spectroscopy. It is an interdisciplinary
effort that breathes much the attitude and inspiration of Leonid MAC.
Coordination is in hands of Dr. Noah Brosch of Wise Observatory.
We met with a very supportive local organisation team and were
much welcomed to stage the 1999 Leonid MAC out of Israel.
Later in the day, Steve and T.J. left to meet the air attache at the
US Embassy to arrange logistic issues.
- Peter Jenniskens
September 12 - Everything is going extremely well on the site
survey.
We have received nothing less than the highest level of cooperation
from
Mildenhall AB, England, and Lajes AB, in the Azores.
We should be able to put everyone up in billeting at both bases - this
will
save A LOT of money.
The PA and XP offices at each base will work closely with us to ensure
we have
ample opportunity for the media to have access to the aircraft and
crews.
I also spoke with folks at McGuire about the FISY Cart. There is
another
refueling unit in Florida that has one, but I think we should be able
to make
things work with the NJ Air Guard's Commander.
One thing that is very important is that we go final on the participant
list
ASAP so we can get the diplomatic clearances submitted to the embassies
and
air attaches of each host country. Peter - we'll see you in the UK on
Monday evening.
-Steve Butow
September 8 - TJ and I are in London - well rested and working hard. We
go to Cambridge and Mildenhall tomorrow to make arrangements for the
mission. How did the 2nd TDRSS test go? I can't tell you how happy I am
that everything is working with the communications equipment that we
assembled. I spoke with Jeff Lampe yesterday. He is satisfied with the
FISTA configuration and manning but needs some clarifications on ARIA.
Likewise, please send me a list of personnel to this e-mail address so
I can present it to the English authorities tomorrow. As yet, I still
have no idea how many hotel rooms we actually require. Remember that we
are 8h ahead of you (of course you know this) and I will likely not
check e-mail until 1200h UTC Friday.
- Steve Butow
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