Delta Star & RME

Rob Matson (Rob_Matson@cpqm.mail.saic.com)
20 May 1996 16:12:05 -0400

Hi Laureen,

Hopefully Karl Cunningham's answer solved your ANSI.SYS problems with SkyMap. 
You inquired about Delta Star and RME (of RME/LACE). Interesting that you
should pick out two measurement programs that I worked on!  I helped out with
calibration and shake-rattle and roll testing of Delta Star at JPL, and I was
on the White Sands ground team for pointing and tracking calibration of LACE's
ultraviolet instrument.  Both Delta Star and the Relay Mirror Experiment
satellite have decayed; the sister satellite of RME --  LACE/UVPI -- is still
in orbit.  Its NORAD # is 20496 (USA 51).

> Are both Lacrosse 1 & 2 supposed to be a reddish color, if so, are
> they "ruby red" or just a reddish hue?  They go over Orlando, FL
> now and then but I can't see them.  I've been using "Ted's
> elements" and allowing several minutes of error before & after the
> viewing time.  Any tips?

They both definitely have an orange-to-red color to them (depending on phase
angle), and I would consider them among the ten easiest objects to see. 
Unfortunately, the epochs of the TLE's in Molczan's files are getting kinda
old (at least the last time I checked).  It wouldn't surprise me to find
predicted times off by a half-hour either way.  Perhaps someone can supply
some "fresher" elements based on recent observation...  --Rob