Re: expert on reentries
Björn Gimle (b_gimle@algonet.se)
Mon, 9 Nov 1998 22:12:08 +0100
In a private mail, Manuel Borraz wrote:
>Dear Bjorn Gimle,
>
>I am searching for information about any possible reentry that could be
>linked to the following event.
>
>On 17 Dec. 1977, 7:45 pm (local) (that is, 18 Dec.1977, 1:45 GMT), an =
object
>crashed to the ground near Council Bluffs (Iowa, USA) (roughly 41=BA N =
/ 96=BA
>W). The presumed trajectory was SW to NE. A mass of molten metal =
(chiefly
>iron) was found on the site. A meteoritic origin was later discarded.
>
The NASA OIG SATellite SITuation report lists three decays on Dec.17-18,
and has the final(?) elsets, from which SkyMap gives:
# Center Date/Time Duration Status Azm El NORAD Satellite Name
1 77/12/18 2:32:16 0:06:57 Autotrack 53 17 10511 SL-4 R/B =
Decayed: 1977/12/18
2 77/12/18 1:44:06 0:07:18 Autopoint 64 12 10498 COSMOS 964 =
Decayed: 1977/12/17
3 77/12/18 7:40:27 0:11:53 Autotrack 180 11 09866 DELTA 1 =
R/B(1)Decayed: 1977/12/17
The Delta rocket was in a 28 deg. orbit, so it was nowhere near Iowa.
The Cosmos was probably a photo-reconnaissance mission, de-orbited over
the Soviet Union, but it is possible a piece of debris landed elsewhere.
The SL-4 rocket elset was four days old at the time, and a small change
for an 11 % increase in drag is sufficient to make SatEvo predict
decay around 2 AM UT, bringing the predicted pass time back to 02:13 UT.
However, none of the two (?) candidates moved SW-NE, but NW-SE.
Bj=F6rn Gimle