Re: Questions on ABRIXAS

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At 11:29 5-05-99 +0200, you wrote:

> 
>At this time there is no communcation contact with ABRIXAS. The three axis 
>attitude control with a momentum wheel and magnetic actuators was perfect
working 
>but it is possible that we can see in the next days some slow tumbling as a 
>result of the power shortage. It would be very interesting to have continously 
>observations of the satellite. 
>


Well, this put up my question again.  Last week friday I had an observation
of Abrixas and its Kosmos 3M rocket.

The first object that I saw was, according to my predictions, Abrixas.  It
was tumbling with a period of about 10 to 20 seconds.  The second object was
the Kosmos 3M rocket which showed no sign of tumbling.  

I thought the elements were for for some kind of reason switched whith each
other as I expected the rocket to be flashing and not the payload but now it
seems that the elements were right !

Greetings,
Tristan Cools
tcools@nic.INbe.net
BWGS Member - Belgian Working Group Satellites

Observing at:

Damse Vaart: 3.2486E/51.2279N
Ryckevelde: 3.2867E/51.2054N
Brugge: 3.1611E/51.2108N		

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