: Rapidly decaying SL-12/SL-6 rockets
bjorn@tt-tech.se
Fri, 12 Jul 1996 9:49:05 +0100
The mail below never reached seesat-L so I am adding newer
info and resubmitting :
C*1172 SL-6(2) 5.0 1206 x 96
1 11762U 80028E 96192.46624655 +.14726678 +59677-5 +22899-3 0 01401
2 11762 061.5720 069.0041 0790040 245.1817 106.4912 14.73217514122438
may decay on (or before) July 14. It is currently visible
before perigee, entering shadow near 17 degrees North latitude,
and after perigee, exiting shadow near 47 degrees South.
Luch 1 SL-12aux 7.0 16535 x 103
1 23685U 95054F 96191.39014120 .02832205 -13890-5 53780-3 0 2058
2 23685 46.7360 190.1254 5590522 82.0489 335.1689 4.87252569 6574
may stay in orbit another month (?) despite its rapid decay.
It is currently visible before perigee, entering shadow near 43N.
and after perigee, leaving shadow near 37 degrees North.
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Re: Rapidly decaying SL-12/SL-6 rockets
The Luch 1 rocket, USSPACECOM #23685, 95 54 F, is decaying
rapidly from a stable MM=3D2.23 orbit.
On day 159 it had MM=3D2.62 (+0.024/day),
on day 190 MM=3D4.75 (+0.106/day), perigee 112 km.
It is now visible in the mornings, leaving perigee.
It should be a real observational challenge, since
the effect of drag is about 30 minutes * (elset age/days)^2
A chart of MM, but no decay prediction yet, can be found
on my http://www.algonet.se/~b_gimle/decayers.htm page.
The SL-6 rocket, #11762, 80 28 E, has a perigee of 99 km,
MM 14.26 (+0.25/day), and may decay on July 13.
It is visible in the evenings.
Luch 1 SL-12aux 7.0 17045 x 112
1 23685U 95054F 96190.35311340 .05314881 -20231-5 16019-2 0 2022
2 23685 46.7629 190.8882 5660755 81.4075 336.0172 4.74620640 6523
C*1172 SL-6(2) 5.0 1511 x 99
1 11762U 80028E 96190.67097544 .12360373 53678-5 25669-3 0 1275
2 11762 61.5813 74.9291 0983071 243.9587 105.8688 14.25973813122173
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