AsiaSat 3S launched
Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 21 Mar 1999 09:18:03 +0000
Three objects have been catalogued following the launch of AsiaSat 3S
via an ILS Proton rocket from Baikonur at 00:09 UTC today. The
identities of the rocket and platform have yet to be confirmed, hence
the "?"s in the following elsets:
AsiaSat 3S 35992 x 205 km
1 25657U 99013A 99080.06042752 .00000962 00000-0 10000-3 0 14
2 25657 51.4804 189.4475 7310251 0.8558 359.8497 2.26735759 03
AsiaSat 3S Proton r? 218 x 158 km
1 25658U 99013B 99080.30526435 .03243268 12139-4 39805-3 0 34
2 25658 51.5940 188.1194 0045809 272.1455 87.4322 16.31733413 59
AsiaSat 3S Proton platform? 202 x 166 km
1 25659U 99013C 99080.30535443 .01121915 12188-4 15000-3 0 19
2 25659 51.5869 188.0991 0027229 265.6279 94.2834 16.33286275 45
AsiaSat should have separated from its Blok-DM stage at 06:50 UTC, but
elsets for both objects have still to appear following this event.
SpaceCom have issued a decay notice for the B object, presumably the
Proton rocket, predicting its decay at March 22 15:01 UTC. Both the
rocket and platform are morning objects for some of us as they emerge
from eclipse near 48 deg N latitude at ~04:30 local time, moving
northbound. Eclipse entry is near southern apex (51 deg S) at ~19h local
time. I hope to have an update on both decayers in a "Decay watch" note
later today.
Alan
--
Alan Pickup | COSPAR 2707: 55d53m48.7s N 3d11m51.2s W 156m asl
Edinburgh | Home: alan@wingar.demon.co.uk +44 (0)131 477 9144
Scotland | SatEvo page: http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/