Re: Platform or rocket

Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Fri, 26 Dec 1997 00:12:02 +0000

In message <Chameleon.883091150.jhunt@news1.radix.net>, Jeff Hunt
<jeff@satellite.eu.org> writes
>...
>
>An excerpt from "Introduction to Observing Satellites......
>
>
>---- 1.1.3 Platforms
>
>       A platform may be used to support a payload while it is being
>       placed in orbit. A platform may remain in orbit long after its
>       purpose is served, usually longer than the rocket bodies.
>...

Thanks for the help, Jeff.

My unofficial check of the Satellite Situation Report for launches
between 1987 May and 1997 November shows 146 occasions when both a main
rocket and a platform ("PLAT") have been catalogued in LEO. Of these,
the rocket decayed first 11 times (8%) and the platform 127 times (87%).
For the other 8 launches (5%), both the rocket and the platform decayed
on the same day.

Alan

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