Re: STSS-ATRR not seen again

From: Bram Dorreman (bram.dorreman@gmail.com)
Date: Sat May 09 2009 - 14:48:21 UTC

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    Hello Ted and other SeeSatters:
    
    Following might help:
    
    On Fridaynight May 8th I intended to start observing a "PPAS-object".
    Before looking at the targetarea I saw a satellite moving in between
    beta and gamma Ser, dividing the connection line in 1 and 2. Position
    estimate RA 15:50 dec +15.7. I followed this object because the
    inclination was more like Seasat than like sun-synchronous satellites.
    It passed Edasich (iota Dra) 1 minute 28 seconds later, estimate RA
    15:25 dec +59.0. Unfortunately I forgot to record a time on my
    voicerecorder. It must be sometime between 21:00 and 21:03 when it was
    near beta and gamma Ser. There were no other (bright) satellites
    travelling between these two stars in that time interval going in the
    observed direction.
    With a simple program I used the position estimates and a height of
    800 km and found inclinatie 113.2. My "feeling" was confirmed.
    Together with your non-observations I think it might be I saw the
    rocket, but more than 10 minutes early w.r.t. the predictions made
    with following TLE:
    09023B STSS-ATRR r
    1 34904U 09023B   09125.95957157 0.00247275  00000-0  00000-0 0    09
    2 34904 112.7800 216.3633 0519924 282.5289  71.8193 15.08518086    02
    which yields a time of 21:14:57 at the declination of those stars in Ser.
    
    I was able to see 09023A 34903 with mag +7.0 at about 23:05
    
    
     Site 4160: 51.27931 N, 5.47683 E (WGS84), 35 m
    
    Bram Dorreman
    
    
    
    2009/5/9 Ted Molczan <ssl3molcz@rogers.com>:
    > My sky began to clear just after my final pass of the 2nd stage, but in time to
    > attempt to observe the final pass of the payload. It was due to pass near good
    > reference stars located near az 298, el 20, on 2009 May 08 at 05:55:16 UTC.
    > Predicted magnitude 7.2 +/-1 at least 1. Conditions were poor - haze illuminated
    > by the bright moon, but with my 25x100 binoculars, I could easily see a mag 7.6
    > star and less easily a mag 8.2 star in my FOV. I did not see the satellite. I
    > waited an additional 7 minutes, in case it made a small manoeuvre, but saw
    > nothing.
    >
    > It was also a no-show for me last night, in rather better circumstances
    > (similarly crummy sky, but much higher elevation, and could see easily to mag
    > 9). Tonight's conditions were too marginal to declare that the object has
    > manoeuvred; however, if no positive sightings are reported by ~14:00 UTC, I will
    > post search elements as a precaution, assuming a manoeuvre soon after the last
    > known sighting.
    >
    > The following are my and Mike McCants' latest elements:
    >
    > 1 34903U 09023A   09127.88489887  .00000000  00000-0  00000-0 0    05
    > 2 34903  98.9298 226.1078 0008205 251.8764 108.1511 14.06068508    05
    >
    > 1 34903U 09023A   09127.88488268  .00000000  00000-0  00000-0 0    07
    > 2 34903  98.9513 226.1446 0007714 220.9054 139.0944 14.06067719    03
    >
    > Ted Molczan
    >
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