Decay watch: Mar 23
Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Tue, 23 Mar 1999 21:27:02 +0000
A late elset for the late Proton, the MPL Delta came down on schedule
and the first decay warning for the Iridium 11A S/D...
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Object: #25658 = 99- 13 B = AsiaSat 3S Proton r
Final final elset:
AsiaSat 3S Proton r 144 x 120 km
1 25658U 99013B 99081.52484637 .32472972 12725-4 20240-3 0 117
2 25658 51.5919 181.2330 0018338 264.3768 95.5186 16.52671664 250
Note: This does not alter my conclusion concerning yesterday's decay,
other than to reduce the uncertainty by a few minutes.
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Object: #25607 = 99- 1 C = Mars Polar Lander Delta 2 r1
Decay predictions:
Source Prediction made Predicted decay at Latitude Longitude
UTC UTC deg deg
SpaceCom Mar 14 14:32 Mar 23 03:32 +-5d 12.3 N 67.2 W
SpaceCom Mar 16 01:23 Mar 23 01:19 +-4d 11.5 S 149.0 E
SpaceCom Mar 19 06:49 Mar 23 06:32 +-2d 9.1 N 105.9 W
SpaceCom Mar 20 03:19 Mar 23 00:39 +-2d 7.6 N 11.9 W
SpaceCom Mar 21 00:43 Mar 23 00:22 +-1d 25.7 N 75.0 W
SpaceCom Mar 22 00:48 Mar 23 01:10 +-15h 23.9 S 110.1 E
SpaceCom Mar 22 12:06 Mar 23 00:36 +-9h 13.1 N 23.7 W
SpaceCom Mar 23 01:03 Mar 23 01:49 +-51m 25.9 N 103.3 W
SpaceCom Mar 23 02:12 Mar 23 01:49 +-1m 25.9 N 103.6 W
SatEvo Mar 15 21:20 Mar 23 01:00 +-2d
SatEvo Mar 16 20:45 Mar 22 21:17 +-1.5d
SatEvo Mar 19 19:30 Mar 23 03:23 +-18h 17.7 N 79.9 W
SatEvo Mar 20 23:25 Mar 23 00:22 +-10h 23.4 N 55.3 W
SatEvo Mar 21 20:20 Mar 23 01:22 +-6h 0 172.0 E
SatEvo Mar 22 21:40 Mar 23 01:22 +-4h 0 171.7 E
SatEvo Mar 23 20:40 Mar 23 01:52 +-25m 22.2 N 72.5 W
Final elset:
MPL Delta 2 r1 5.9 2.4 0.0 5.0 d 157 x 133 km
1 25607U 99001C 99081.99717650 .42740142 -12150-4 56095-3 0 1684
2 25607 25.8306 13.1233 0018272 116.1167 243.9054 16.47876139 12194
Note: The final elset shows it running 21 seconds late with respect to
yesterday's SatEvo prediction. I wonder if SpaceCom's ultra-precise
decay report indicates that the decay was witnessed (over NE Mexico,
W of Brownsville, TX). The SpaceCom time appears to be for "ground
impact" while my estimate is for the re-entry event which I place
further along the track near perigee, SE of the Bahamas.
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Object: #25580 = 98- 74 D = Iridium 11A Smart Dispensor
Decay predictions:
Source Prediction made Predicted decay at Latitude Longitude
UTC UTC deg deg
SpaceCom Mar 23 10:26 Apr 2 10:53 +-6d 50.3 S 25.0 W
SatEvo Mar 23 20:40 Apr 2 00:00 +-2.5d
Latest elset:
Irid 11A S/D 4.0 2.0 0.0 5.5 d 346 x 182 km
1 25580U 98074D 99082.64095980 .00899599 00000-0 52304-3 0 1771
2 25580 86.3001 148.8013 0123655 142.5277 218.5413 16.03768227 14769
Note: This is poorly placed for observation. It enters eclipse while
northbound near 67 deg S latitude at ~21h local time; it leaves
eclipse near 71 deg N at ~23h local time while still moving northwards.
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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/