RE: Non-flaring-Iridiums update list known?

Jeff Hunt (jeff@satellite.eu.org)
Fri, 19 Dec 97 15:03:40

--- On Fri, 19 Dec 1997 19:27:46 +0100  Alexander Seidel 
<ase@mail.stelljes.de> wrote:

>Is there any empirical update list out there of all those Iridiums that
>are not expected to flare up as they should and would do under "normal"
>circumstances, i.e. with an axis-orientation and overall deployment well
>within the desired limits?

Hello All,

If you haven't looked at it before, try the Iridium Flare page on VSOHP

http://www.satellite.eu.org/iridium.html
http://www2.satellite.eu.org/iridium.html

There is a section there that provides a link to Alan Pickup's web-page
and his iridiums.tle file.  That elset provides the orbital parameters on 
line 0. The iridium.html page tries to keep the orbital status 
up-to-date, but the orbital parameters on line 0 of the tle is routinely 
updated several times a day.  In addition, there is the thumb rule that a 
mean motion of 14.34 rev/day is required to ensure the prediction will be 
accurate.

So, rigorously speaking, no the iridium.html page does not attempt to 
maintain a list of those Iridiums that are not expected to flare as 
predicted, but a frequent look at the iridiums.tle elset should give you 
the information you need.

Jeff Hunt <jeff@satellite.eu.org>