Re: Iridium 15 Delta 2 : the final orbits

Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Mon, 30 Mar 1998 20:49:40 +0100

Ignoring superceded elsets for both equator crossings, the final (so
far) two elsets for this object are:
Iridm 15 Delta r 5.9  2.4  0.0  5.6 d            156 x 146 km
1 24874U 97034F   98089.04730406  .14103167 -12389-5  34660-3 0  3488
2 24874  82.6958 275.1359 0007694 114.1840 246.0346 16.45678829 41110
Iridm 15 Delta r 5.9  2.4  0.0  5.6 d            146 x 138 km
1 24874U 97034F   98089.10804862  .23569813 -11149-5  33816-3 0  3505
2 24874  82.6677 275.0871 0006116 118.8859 241.3062 16.48838915 41126

These show it 5.5 and 6.7 seconds early against the "9341" SatEvo
prediction I posted yesterday. I feel sure that there would have been
one more northbound crossing...
Iridm 15 Delta r 5.9  2.4  0.0  5.6 d            132 x 127 km
1 24874U 97034F   98089.16863532  .57718399  44623+1  40210-3 0 93504
2 24874  82.6661 275.0156 0003876 118.6286 241.4103 16.53669043 41135
...with re-entry most likely near or soon after the following southbound
crossing at 146 degrees west longitude at 04:46 UTC (March 30.20).

I'd be interested to see how USSPACECOM's decay prediction(s) went.

Alan
-- 
 Alan Pickup | COSPAR site 2707:   55d53m48.7s N   3d11m51.2s W    156m asl
 Edinburgh   | Home:      alan@wingar.demon.co.uk       +44 (0)131 477 9144
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