It now seems clear that the Hai Yang 1 payload actually maneuvered into a slightly lower, circular orbit. The original elsets for the D object were like this: 1 27433U 02024D 02136.75621877 .00003046 00000-0 17338-2 0 68 2 27433 98.8055 187.5598 0013335 191.3504 168.7839 14.09763777 235 There were no elsets from day 139 until 142. A subsequent elset was: 1 27430U 02024A 02143.71921758 .00207776 00000-0 89773-1 0 157 2 27430 98.8102 194.4368 0010768 95.9942 50.7862 14.22856854 1218 This is a lower orbit, but the eccentricity is still non-zero and the location of the perigee has changed. At this point Spacecom switched the elsets for the A and D objects. The next elset was: 1 27430U 02024A 02144.39255402 .02731422 00000-0 10154+1 0 224 2 27430 98.7921 195.1147 0002203 220.9052 141.4964 14.28117140 1312 This is lower and circular with an incredibly high "drag" term. Either this is a very tiny piece of debris (which means I could not have seen it, but I did.) or it is maneuvering into a lower orbit. Today's elset is: 1 27430U 02024A 02149.15424414 -.00003308 00000-0 -12803-2 0 347 2 27430 98.7922 199.8989 0001590 96.3709 263.7611 14.29406024 1994 This is a slightly lower orbit with a near-zero eccentricity and an unusual negative "drag" term. So I assume that Spacecom figured out that this was one of the payloads after it started maneuvering. Then they switched it with the D object. The elsets for the other three objects have been quite stable over the entire time since launch. The brightest payload is the Payload B object. Reports from the radio monitoring group clearly indicate that this is the Feng Yun 1D. That means that this maneuvering Payload A is the Hai Yang 1. This also matches what Jonathan McDowell wrote in his Space Report that the Feng Yun 1D and Adapter separated from the rocket first, followed by the Hai Yang 1. Latest elsets with my names and comments: Hai Yang 1 (mag 6.5 or 7 on a good pass) 1 27430U 02024A 02149.15424414 -.00003308 00000-0 -12803-2 0 347 2 27430 98.7922 199.8989 0001590 96.3709 263.7611 14.29406024 1994 Feng Yun 1D (mag 4.5 or 5 on a good pass) 1 27431U 02024B 02148.68572589 .00000449 00000-0 28298-3 0 158 2 27431 98.8025 199.2129 0015409 151.2533 208.9488 14.09147047 1921 Long March 4B Rocket (Flash to mag 3.5 - flash period about 1/2 second) 1 27432U 02024C 02148.64511830 -.00000077 +00000-0 -17785-4 0 00167 2 27432 098.7116 199.1165 0049804 238.6759 120.9526 14.13349901001910 Adapter Debris (mag 5 or 5.5 on a good pass) 1 27433U 02024D 02148.75491973 +.00000634 +00000-0 +38829-3 0 00264 2 27433 098.8072 199.2918 0015966 156.2682 203.9202 14.09340838001921 Mike McCants ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www2.satellite.eu.org/sat/seesat/seesatindex.html
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