Decay watch: Nov 23 21:20 UTC

Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Tue, 23 Nov 1999 21:23:26 +0000

Thanks to various SeeSaters for their negative obs of the possible
passes over the S USA of #22016 (92- 39 C = GPS 2-14 r2) earlier today.
They help to narrow down the decay time to Nov 23 12:08 UTC -2h+20m,
possibly near a northbound equator crossing at 163.3 W. From this point,
the track might then have carried it across N Mexico to pass N of
Dallas, TX, at 12:26 UTC and onwards to Charlotte, NC, at 12:30. I do
not think it could have decayed as early as SpaceCom suggests, namely
Nov 23 09:30 +-1h at 28.8 N, 72.0 W. My prediction for the penultimate
northbound equator crossing is:
GPS 2-14 r2      3.0  1.5  0.0  6.5 d 3.51       208 x 117 km
1 22016U 92039C   99327.44490534  .83152970  27390+1  80515-3 0 98836
2 22016  34.5865  78.0993 0069689 359.1903   0.7985 16.41424233178755

There are some further details on my Decay Watch page at
      http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/dkwatch/
plus the last word on yesterday's decay of #25934 = 99- 55 B = GPS 2R-3
Delta 2 r1.

Alan
-- 
 Alan Pickup | COSPAR 2707:  55d53m48.7s N  3d11m51.2s W   156m asl
 Edinburgh   | Tel: +44 (0)131 477 9144     Fax: +44 (0)870 0520750
 Scotland    | SatEvo page:   http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/

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