Raduga 33 rocket decaying

Mike McCants (mikem@fc.net)
Tue, 20 Aug 1996 13:59:51 -0500

Last Friday:
>>The Raduga 33 rocket is decaying at a remarkable rate:

(This is apparently still true!)

1 23797U 96010D   96228.13569310 +.25637181 +16119-4 +12535-2 0 02748
2 23797 047.8319 215.7173 3102646 061.2293 326.4709 09.54325922004830

1 23797U 96010D   96229.05467116 +.26361494 +17384-4 +13165-2 0 02771
2 23797 047.8010 213.6600 2868208 063.1898 323.7229 10.02738645004926

1 23797U 96010D   96229.92884167 +.29670269 +19159-4 +12510-2 0 02845
2 23797 047.8090 211.5486 2628841 065.1288 319.9074 10.54074974005016

1 23797U 96010D   96231.11819941 +.39169775 +22438-4 +14323-2 0 02896
2 23797 047.8028 208.3436 2269972 068.1908 315.8698 11.31959729005141

1 23797U 96010D   96232.14104589 +.43075490 +25460-4 +12177-2 0 03018
2 23797 047.8019 205.1999 1912245 071.1740 308.6099 12.12139647005262

I certainly suspect that the Utah observation last Friday was of this object.

The perigee height should remain about 100Km = 60 miles = 55? nm until
very near to decay.  I guess it is certainly possible that it is
glowing red at magitude -3 on every perigee pass.

Perigee passes might be visible from north latitude 45 to 50.

Mike McCants
mikem@fc.net