Re: Mars Polar lander

Tony Beresford (starman@camtech.net.au)
Sat, 20 Mar 1999 15:18:55 +1030

At 14:32 20/03/99 , Robert Smathers wrote:
>Eduardo Aldridge Vukusic wrote:
>> 
>> I am wondering if it is possible to find elsets for interplanetary
>> missions, such as Mars Polar Lander.
>> I am a Starry Night (Sienna Software) for Windows user and would greatly
>> like to try elsets for non earth orbiting satellites.
>
>My experience has shown this can be a tricky thing.
>
>the easy part - there is a web site (JPL connected?) that has
>elements and a online form to number crunch some of the more
>popular planetary and non-earth-orbit spacecraft.  If I can find
>the site in my "to add to my trackign web page" queue, I'll add it
>in (or I'll wait for someone to come through with the URL and I"ll
>add it right away).  
Gentleman, the URL at JPL is:
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.html
though over the last hour that hasnt been responding, which
probably means they are doing the daily & weekly backup, or some such
maintenance task.
 It gives elements and/or ephemerides for some spacecraft.
They are heliocentric elements , like those use for asteroids in
planetarium programs like Starry night, which I am sure Eduardo knows
Robert. Lets finish this topic at this point, as its really off-topic
in this mailing list.
Tony Beresford