oig-molc proposal
jeff@satellite.eu.org
Sun, 21 Jun 98 04:30:10
Hello All,
*Note*
Follow-up discussions, questions, and
inquires on this posting SHOULD be made on
UseSat-L and NOT SeeSat-L. See *below* on how
to subscribe to UseSat-L.
It's not clear to me what resources will be out there on the NET on/after
June 30 to provide grouped elsets pertaining to Low Earth Orbit
satellites that have the potential for observation.
As most of you know, OIG's telnet site will be shutdown on that date.
Efforts are being made by some to have access to some or all
of the elements presently not available by OIG's web site so things as
they exist now, can go on. This requires the approval of the bureaucracy
associated with NASA. I think there should be a back-up plan to those
efforts to help ensure a limited resource remains to at least provide the
elements found in the useful molczan elset file for potentially visible
Low Earth Orbit satellites.
I would like to propose to the subscribers of SeeSat-L the formation of a
network of volunteers to gather, compile and make available to any Net
resource (FTP and/or web site), a list of LEO satellite elements, updated
on a weekly basis. The elements included would be those presently found
in the molczan files.
The compiled data would have the "line zero" common name information,
but not the "n21 description" information (magnitude, dimensions,
etc.) which is provided by Mike McCants in his molczan elsets.
Of course, it would only include the unclassified elements
provided by OIG. I am not trying to replace the service provided by Mike.
I am trying to provide a redundant resource from the OIG web site for
similar, but not identical data.
I envision the need to have a significant number of volunteers who would
obtain a preset group or block of elements (say, 50 elements per block)
from OIG's "100 elements per 24 hours limit" request service. Those
elements would be forwarded to a "compiler". The compiler would then send
the grouped elsets as one elset file (an example: leovis.tle) to various
Net resources wanting the info. The end user would in turn access the
elset from those Net resources.
The concept of retrievers/compilers would have to be duplicated to have
adequate redundancy to ensure a reliable resource. I envision the need
to have around 60 or so volunteers, mostly retrievers, and two or more
compilers. This number is based on there being approximately 1500
elements in the existing molczan file. Using a block value of 50 elements
obtained MANUALLY from OIG'S web site would mean a minimum of 30
retrievers or 60 for redundancy.
I would recommend those not familiar with OIG's web site to visit it to
become more familiar with their services. You must register to be able to
download more than 20 and up to 100 elements in a 24 hour period. Keep in
mind, OIG reserves the right to restrict access as they see fit.
http://oigsysop.atsc.allied.com/scripts/foxweb.dll/app01?
The domain name by itself will also work.
I would be willing to act as coordinator and as one of the compilers,
but as I said, I think more than one compiler and duplicate retrievers
would be necessary to ensure a reliable resource.
I'm putting this proposal out there for further discussion on
UseSat-L, *NOT* SeeSat-L.
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I can be easily persuaded to drop this proposal if someone can tell
me that there will be at least two independent resources out
there before June 30 that can obtain elements from OIG (by what ever
method;-) to ensure an element resource that is at least
comprised of the unclassified elements found in the molzcan file.
Ideally, a resource having all the unclassified elements would be best,
but my proposal is an intermim measure to provide an adequate number of
potentially visible satellites available to the general user.
It is not the best solution, but a viable (let's hope) interim solution.
My proposal is not necessarily endorsed by the founders of SeeSat-L.
Those wishing to be volunteers may e-mail me directly or use UseSat-L.
Discussions should be directed to UseSat-L.
Please do *not* continue discussions for this specific proposal on
SeeSat-L. Others may wish to propose alternate solutions. I would suggest
that they do that either on SeeSat-L or UseSat-L by using a different
subject header to identify the topic. I prefer that the subject header
related to my proposal begin with "oig-molc proposal". Again, my proposal
is to obtain the unclassified elements found in the molczan file from the
existing OIG web site.
Remember, if the volunteer resource is not there, this is all academic.
Cheers,
Jeff (we shall overcome;-) Hunt <jeff@satellite.eu.org>