From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!zeppo!wheps!eagle!karn Newsgroups: net.columbia Title: 900 number Article-I.D.: eagle.395 Posted: Fri Jun 25 02:43:16 1982 Received: Mon Jun 28 03:50:53 1982 The correct "dial-it" number for the shuttle missions is 900-410-6272. (This is different from an earlier message, but I experimented with different numbers during the last mission and the last digit didn't seem to matter). The service is, by default, a recording containing a status report which repeats indefinitely until updated. Whenever there is activity on the communications channels, a voice-actuated switch turns off the recording and turns on the real-time audio. When they stop talking, a long-time-constant switch gradually brings back the recording. There are large fractions of the orbit during which the shuttle is not in view of a ground command station; also, the astronauts DO sleep occasionally, so there can be long periods of just the recorded message. I find the service quite useful for verifying an orbit model (which I also use to pick good times to call), and for just listening to the conversations without the trigger-happy news reporters talking on top of them. Phil Karn Bell Labs, Murray Hill