10 Jul 99 Delta/Globalstar Launch Info

Ron Lee (ronlee@pcisys.net)
Fri, 09 Jul 1999 10:18:38 -0600

Globalstar, Delta, 10 Jul 99, 8:45:37 UT Launch
1 99999P 99 0XX A 99191.41292824  .00005000  00000-0  00000-0 0    13
2 99999  51.9830 316.0242 0003960 132.7090 135.6330 12.74000000    17
Globalstar, Delta, 10 Jul 99, 11:45:07 UT Launch
1 99998P 99 0XX A 99191.53758102  .00005000  00000-0  00000-0 0    12
2 99998  51.9830   1.0221 0003960 132.7090 135.6330 12.74000000    15

Two elsets provided..one each for the beginning of the two launch
windows.  Each launch window is three minutes long. I may have checksum
errors.  I was unable to correct them with the program I normally use.
I used a different NORAD number for the second launch window.

I corrected the 35 second time error in the 9 Jul 99 elsets. However,
I suggest looking early and late as well as crosstrack to account for 
typical errors.   If the launch occurs during or at the end of the
three minute window, the events should still occur at the same delta
time after launch.  They will still occur at the same azimuth and elevation
but the position relative to stars will be off slightly.

The circularization burn occurs between 3712.5 and 3738.9 seconds after
launch. This may be visible to some Australian observers.

The upper satellites are deployed 4150 seconds after launch.  That
occurs while sunlit now.  Australian observers should check this.

Lower satellites are deployed 4400 seconds after launch.

The evasive burn which should be visible to SW and central USA 
observers (occurring over southern Baja CA), occurs between 6500
and 6505 seconds after launch.

The depletion burn occurs between 6950 and 6956.8 seconds after launch.  
This would be good for the region around the Great Lakes (North America) 
but I believe those regions are in daylight then.  However, it appears
that I will have a chance to see the depletion burn as well as the 
evasive burn on the same pass.  This is from the Colorado USA region.

I suggest using binoculars to acquire the satellites. The burns may be 
visible without binoculars in dark skies but I have no personal experience
in this area.

A good place to get near-realtime status of the launch is at the website
provided below:

http://www.flatoday.com:80/space/today/index.htm

Ron Lee