The orbits of X37B/OTV-2 are very similar in altitude and inclination. The difference of RAAN has changed slowly from 98° to 100° during the lifetime of Tiangong 1. Which means that their trajectories meet at a very high angle - not exactly satellite inspection grade! The angle of interception is so great that the same effect could have been engineered from a large range of inclinations for OTV-2. Bear in mind that OTV-2 was launched first. Do we also believe that the USAF had advance knowledge that the Tiangong/Shenzhou 8 mission would be at a subtly different inclnation from previous missions - 42°.8 rather than 42°.4? The story originates from the British Interplanetary Society magazine as a "scoop" but totally ignores the RAAN issue. Unfortunately it was taken at face value by BBC News and that is how it spread. The BIS has openly stated in an e-mail to all members that it intends to raise "controversial issues" in order to increase membership, and hence income. Bob Christy _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l
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