Re: 2021-076 Chinese Launch

From: Bob Christy via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:28:48 +0000
Hi Igor

The KL-alpha mission involved two satellites placed into distinctly different orbits with a common perigee. One orbit was circular and the other elliptical with apogee 400 km higher.

After three months, the elliptical object lowered apogee to match its partner. It used 8-9 days of incremental manoeuvres with daily use of thrusters.
https://ww.zarya.info/2019#077

In the 2021-076 case, the descent is continuous and 076B is moving away from the other two objects. The force causing it seems to be acting constantly, hence my musing about a drag device.

Cheers
Robert Christy

> On 30 Aug 2021, at 14:25, Igor Lissov <lissov-i_at_yandex.ru> wrote:
> 
> Bob and the community,
>  
> One more object from this launch is expected to descent to the 1050 km orbit.
> They follow the pattern for KL-Alpha pair launched in 2019, now in the 1050 km orbit.
>  
> Igor Lissov
>  
> 30.08.2021, 17:11, "Bob Christy via Seesat-l" <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>:
> This is a triplet of objects launched August 24. After about two and a half days in orbit, 2021-076B started to exhibit orbit-changing ability. It is now about 50km below the other two. The change has been continuous rather than incremental as is usual for orbit manoeuvres.
> 
> I have put some notes here
> https://www.zarya.info/Diaries/blog/tracks.php?event=China%20Intrigue%20-%202021-076
> 
> Has anyone observed these and noted anything different about 2021-076B compared with the others? If not, does anyone have current observing opportunities?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Robert Christy
> 
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Received on Mon Aug 30 2021 - 10:29:55 UTC

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