RE: Spy Sat Question

From: Brierley David (DMBRIERLEY@dera.gov.uk)
Date: Wed Aug 23 2000 - 06:22:05 PDT

  • Next message: Tony Beresford: "RE: Spy Sat Question"

    Rainer
    
    > After the discussions about amateurs publishing spy sat orbits,
    > I asked myself whether it would make sense to place such satellites
    > in sunsynchronous orbits with equator crossings at local
    > noon/midnight.
    > Even though this would cause technical problems, it would have the
    > "advantage" of making them almost invisible to people like us since
    > they would on be observable in sparsely populated high latitude
    > regions.
    > Would this make sense and are there any indications  that such
    > satellites exist?
    > 
    Indeed they do exist.  You'll probably have seen references to USA 116,
    95-66A, on SeeSat.  This satellite is sun-synchronous and comes over
    around about local midnight.  However in the northern summer the Sun
    shines over the north pole, and USA 116 is clearly visible every night
    from the UK.  In fact it won't disappear over my northern horizon until
    October, and I'm only at 52 degrees north.
    
    Best wishes
    David.
    
    David M Brierley
    Malvern, Worcestershire, UK
    Station 2675, 52.1358N 2.3264W 70m
    
    
    
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