STS-121 Orbit Elements

From: Gerhard HOLTKAMP (grd.holtkamp@t-online.de)
Date: Thu Jun 29 2006 - 15:11:45 EDT

  • Next message: Kevin Fetter: "re: STS-121 Orbit Elements"

    NASA has now posted orbit elements for STS-121 on
    
    spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/elements
    
    Launch is indicated at 1-JUL-2006, 19:48:38 UT.
    
    The first coasting arc is valid from 19:59:06 UT until 20:38:03 UT (1-JUL-06). 
    The state vector given for this arc is in good agreement with the TLEs posted 
    by Ted Molzcan two weeks ago. However the also given (NASA) TLEs for this arc 
    show a discrepancy with the numeric state vector. I get the following TLEs 
    out of the given state vector:
    
    STS-121  MECO                                
    1     0           06182.83270833 0.00000000  00000-0  95600-4 0     1
    2     0  51.6328 112.1460 0128427 347.8366  69.9206 16.48997100     1
    
    The ISS entries are listed with the remark that no orbital maneuvers are 
    planned (until at least 9-JUL-2006). However, I found the following remark in 
    the STS 121 press kit about mission objectives:
    
     * Reboost ISS with the orbiter to no more than 186.7 nautical miles average 
    orbital altitude, if propulsive consumables are available. *
    
    I wonder whether we will also see the small unexpected increases that happened 
    during last year's Discovery docking to the ISS. It will be interesting to 
    keep an eye on the ISS orbit over the next two weeks.
    
    Gerhard HOLTKAMP
    Darmstadt, Germany
    
    
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