Only sunlit encounters are reported, and only for ranges of 500 km or less. The search for encounters was for the period starting at 0 h UTC of the day following launch, through the end of the mission. Flight day one was not considered because Columbia manoeuvred a fair bit, making the elements difficult to evaluate with confidence.
Encounters with Kh 11-4 could not be evaluated because elements were not available.
Vang is the angular velocity of the target from the vantage point of the observer.
PhA is the phase angle of the target, defined as the angle between the target, observer and the sun. The target is fully illuminated when phase angle is zero deg; and fully in shadow when phase angle is 180 deg.
ILL is the percent illumination of a sphere located at the position of the target.
mv is the target's estimated visual magnitude, the measure of brightness used in astronomy.
AZ and EL are the target's azimuth and elevation. Azimuth is measured clockwise from north. Elevation is relative the observer's local horizontal; negative values indicate that the target is below local horizontal.
The latitude reported for both objects is the geodetic latitude.
The altitude reported for both objects is relative to Earth's oblate shape.
Orbital elements are as issued by NASA/OIG, except that I corrected the drag terms of both. Their ndot/2 and ndotdot/6 terms were realistic, but B* was about 75 times too low, so I computed values consistent with the other terms.
These are the uncorrected versions of STS 2 and KH 11-3, respectively:
1 12953U 81111A 81318.30342203 .00423968 14650-7 76510-5 0 80 2 12953 38.0381 144.6935 0008065 268.8671 90.7568 16.05226326 271 1 11687U 80110A 81318.29009796 .00055939 00000-0 72610-5 0 7345 2 11687 96.8666 75.0840 0080419 76.8549 284.0250 15.60841942101240To reduce the possibility that the corrected elements will be confused for the original versions, they have a dummy catalogue number (70000 and 70001), and their international designation is blank.
The meaning and format of the 2-line orbital elements is explained here.
Target object:
STS 2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 v .000
1 70000U 81318.30342203 .00423968 00000-0 57335-3 0 06
2 70000 38.0381 144.6935 0008065 268.8671 90.7568 16.05226326 278
Observer object:
Kh 11-3 15.0 3.0 0.0 4.0 v .000
1 70001U 81318.29009796 .00055939 00000-0 57266-3 0 04
2 70001 96.8666 75.0840 0080419 76.8549 284.0250 15.60841942101245
Encounter date: 1981 Nov 14 UTC
Target Observer
-------------------- --------------------
Time Range Vang PhA ILL AZ EL Lat Lon Alt Lat Lon Alt
UTC km deg/s deg % mv deg deg deg deg km deg deg km
-------- ------ ------ --- --- ---- --- --- ------ ------- ----- ------ ------- -----
13:42:42 492 0.53 140 12 0.9 215 -14 35.5 N 1.2 W 265 38.9 N 1.7 E 367
13:42:43 483 0.55 140 12 0.8 214 -14 35.4 N 1.2 W 265 38.8 N 1.6 E 367
13:42:44 474 0.57 140 12 0.8 214 -14 35.4 N 1.1 W 265 38.8 N 1.6 E 368
13:42:45 465 0.59 139 12 0.7 213 -14 35.4 N 1.0 W 265 38.7 N 1.6 E 368
13:42:46 457 0.61 139 12 0.6 213 -15 35.4 N 0.9 W 265 38.6 N 1.6 E 368
13:42:47 448 0.64 139 12 0.6 212 -15 35.4 N 0.9 W 265 38.6 N 1.6 E 368
13:42:48 439 0.66 138 13 0.5 211 -15 35.4 N 0.8 W 265 38.5 N 1.5 E 368
13:42:49 430 0.69 138 13 0.4 211 -15 35.3 N 0.7 W 265 38.4 N 1.5 E 368
13:42:50 422 0.72 138 13 0.4 210 -16 35.3 N 0.6 W 265 38.4 N 1.5 E 368
13:42:51 413 0.75 137 13 0.3 209 -16 35.3 N 0.6 W 265 38.3 N 1.5 E 368
13:42:52 404 0.78 137 13 0.2 209 -16 35.3 N 0.5 W 265 38.2 N 1.5 E 368
13:42:53 396 0.82 137 14 0.1 208 -17 35.3 N 0.4 W 265 38.2 N 1.5 E 368
13:42:54 388 0.85 136 14 0.1 207 -17 35.2 N 0.3 W 265 38.1 N 1.4 E 368
13:42:55 379 0.89 136 14 -0.0 206 -17 35.2 N 0.3 W 265 38.0 N 1.4 E 368
13:42:56 371 0.93 135 15 -0.1 205 -17 35.2 N 0.2 W 265 38.0 N 1.4 E 368
13:42:57 363 0.97 135 15 -0.2 205 -18 35.2 N 0.1 W 265 37.9 N 1.4 E 368
13:42:58 355 1.02 134 15 -0.3 204 -18 35.2 N 0.0 W 265 37.9 N 1.4 E 368
13:42:59 347 1.06 133 16 -0.4 203 -19 35.2 N 0.0 E 265 37.8 N 1.4 E 368
13:43:00 339 1.11 133 16 -0.5 201 -19 35.1 N 0.1 E 265 37.7 N 1.3 E 368
13:43:01 332 1.16 132 17 -0.5 200 -19 35.1 N 0.2 E 265 37.7 N 1.3 E 368
13:43:02 324 1.22 131 17 -0.6 199 -20 35.1 N 0.3 E 265 37.6 N 1.3 E 368
13:43:03 317 1.27 130 18 -0.7 198 -20 35.1 N 0.3 E 265 37.5 N 1.3 E 368
13:43:04 310 1.33 130 18 -0.8 197 -21 35.1 N 0.4 E 265 37.5 N 1.3 E 368
13:43:05 303 1.40 129 19 -1.0 195 -21 35.0 N 0.5 E 265 37.4 N 1.3 E 368
13:43:06 296 1.46 128 19 -1.1 194 -21 35.0 N 0.6 E 265 37.3 N 1.2 E 368
13:43:07 289 1.53 127 20 -1.2 192 -22 35.0 N 0.6 E 265 37.3 N 1.2 E 369
13:43:08 283 1.60 126 21 -1.3 191 -22 35.0 N 0.7 E 265 37.2 N 1.2 E 369
13:43:09 276 1.68 125 22 -1.4 189 -23 35.0 N 0.8 E 265 37.1 N 1.2 E 369
13:43:10 270 1.75 123 23 -1.5 187 -23 34.9 N 0.8 E 265 37.1 N 1.2 E 369
13:43:11 265 1.83 122 24 -1.6 185 -24 34.9 N 0.9 E 265 37.0 N 1.2 E 369
13:43:12 259 1.90 121 25 -1.7 184 -24 34.9 N 1.0 E 265 36.9 N 1.1 E 369
13:43:13 254 1.98 119 26 -1.9 181 -25 34.9 N 1.1 E 265 36.9 N 1.1 E 369
13:43:14 249 2.06 118 27 -2.0 179 -25 34.9 N 1.1 E 265 36.8 N 1.1 E 369
13:43:15 245 2.14 116 28 -2.1 177 -26 34.9 N 1.2 E 265 36.8 N 1.1 E 369
13:43:16 240 2.22 114 29 -2.2 175 -26 34.8 N 1.3 E 265 36.7 N 1.1 E 369
13:43:17 237 2.29 113 31 -2.3 172 -27 34.8 N 1.4 E 265 36.6 N 1.1 E 369
13:43:18 233 2.36 111 32 -2.4 170 -27 34.8 N 1.4 E 265 36.6 N 1.1 E 369
13:43:19 230 2.42 109 34 -2.5 167 -28 34.8 N 1.5 E 265 36.5 N 1.0 E 369
13:43:20 227 2.48 107 35 -2.6 164 -28 34.8 N 1.6 E 265 36.4 N 1.0 E 369
13:43:21 225 2.53 105 37 -2.7 162 -28 34.7 N 1.7 E 265 36.4 N 1.0 E 369
13:43:22 223 2.57 103 39 -2.8 159 -28 34.7 N 1.7 E 265 36.3 N 1.0 E 369
13:43:23 222 2.60 101 41 -2.9 156 -29 34.7 N 1.8 E 265 36.2 N 1.0 E 369
13:43:24 221 2.62 99 42 -3.0 153 -29 34.7 N 1.9 E 265 36.2 N 1.0 E 369
13:43:25 221 2.63 97 44 -3.1 150 -29 34.7 N 2.0 E 265 36.1 N 0.9 E 369
13:43:26 221 2.63 95 46 -3.1 147 -29 34.6 N 2.0 E 265 36.0 N 0.9 E 369
13:43:27 221 2.62 92 48 -3.2 144 -29 34.6 N 2.1 E 265 36.0 N 0.9 E 369
13:43:28 222 2.60 90 50 -3.3 141 -29 34.6 N 2.2 E 265 35.9 N 0.9 E 369
13:43:29 223 2.57 88 52 -3.3 138 -29 34.6 N 2.2 E 265 35.8 N 0.9 E 370
13:43:30 225 2.52 86 53 -3.3 135 -28 34.6 N 2.3 E 265 35.8 N 0.9 E 370
13:43:31 228 2.47 84 55 -3.4 132 -28 34.5 N 2.4 E 265 35.7 N 0.8 E 370
13:43:32 230 2.42 82 57 -3.4 130 -28 34.5 N 2.5 E 265 35.6 N 0.8 E 370
13:43:33 233 2.35 80 59 -3.4 127 -27 34.5 N 2.5 E 265 35.6 N 0.8 E 370
13:43:34 237 2.28 78 60 -3.4 124 -27 34.5 N 2.6 E 265 35.5 N 0.8 E 370
13:43:35 241 2.21 77 62 -3.5 122 -27 34.5 N 2.7 E 265 35.5 N 0.8 E 370
13:43:36 245 2.13 75 63 -3.5 120 -26 34.4 N 2.8 E 265 35.4 N 0.8 E 370
13:43:37 250 2.06 73 65 -3.5 117 -26 34.4 N 2.8 E 265 35.3 N 0.7 E 370
13:43:38 254 1.98 72 66 -3.4 115 -25 34.4 N 2.9 E 265 35.3 N 0.7 E 370
13:43:39 260 1.90 70 67 -3.4 113 -25 34.4 N 3.0 E 265 35.2 N 0.7 E 370
13:43:40 265 1.82 69 68 -3.4 111 -24 34.4 N 3.1 E 265 35.1 N 0.7 E 370
13:43:41 271 1.74 67 69 -3.4 109 -24 34.3 N 3.1 E 265 35.1 N 0.7 E 370
13:43:42 277 1.67 66 70 -3.4 107 -23 34.3 N 3.2 E 265 35.0 N 0.7 E 370
13:43:43 283 1.60 65 71 -3.4 106 -23 34.3 N 3.3 E 265 34.9 N 0.7 E 370
13:43:44 290 1.53 63 72 -3.3 104 -22 34.3 N 3.3 E 265 34.9 N 0.6 E 370
13:43:45 296 1.46 62 73 -3.3 103 -22 34.3 N 3.4 E 265 34.8 N 0.6 E 370
13:43:46 303 1.39 61 74 -3.3 101 -22 34.2 N 3.5 E 265 34.7 N 0.6 E 370
13:43:47 310 1.33 60 75 -3.2 100 -21 34.2 N 3.6 E 265 34.7 N 0.6 E 370
13:43:48 317 1.27 59 76 -3.2 99 -21 34.2 N 3.6 E 265 34.6 N 0.6 E 370
13:43:49 325 1.21 58 76 -3.2 97 -20 34.2 N 3.7 E 265 34.5 N 0.6 E 370
13:43:50 332 1.16 57 77 -3.1 96 -20 34.1 N 3.8 E 265 34.5 N 0.5 E 370
13:43:51 340 1.11 57 78 -3.1 95 -19 34.1 N 3.9 E 265 34.4 N 0.5 E 370
13:43:52 348 1.06 56 78 -3.1 94 -19 34.1 N 3.9 E 265 34.3 N 0.5 E 371
13:43:53 356 1.01 55 79 -3.0 93 -19 34.1 N 4.0 E 265 34.3 N 0.5 E 371
13:43:54 364 0.97 54 79 -3.0 92 -18 34.1 N 4.1 E 265 34.2 N 0.5 E 371
13:43:55 372 0.93 54 80 -3.0 91 -18 34.0 N 4.1 E 265 34.2 N 0.5 E 371
13:43:56 380 0.89 53 80 -2.9 90 -18 34.0 N 4.2 E 265 34.1 N 0.4 E 371
13:43:57 388 0.85 53 80 -2.9 89 -17 34.0 N 4.3 E 265 34.0 N 0.4 E 371
13:43:58 397 0.81 52 81 -2.8 89 -17 34.0 N 4.4 E 265 34.0 N 0.4 E 371
13:43:59 405 0.78 51 81 -2.8 88 -17 34.0 N 4.4 E 265 33.9 N 0.4 E 371
13:44:00 414 0.75 51 82 -2.8 87 -17 33.9 N 4.5 E 265 33.8 N 0.4 E 371
13:44:01 422 0.72 50 82 -2.7 86 -16 33.9 N 4.6 E 265 33.8 N 0.4 E 371
13:44:02 431 0.69 50 82 -2.7 86 -16 33.9 N 4.6 E 265 33.7 N 0.4 E 371
13:44:03 440 0.66 50 82 -2.7 85 -16 33.9 N 4.7 E 265 33.6 N 0.3 E 371
13:44:04 448 0.64 49 83 -2.6 85 -16 33.8 N 4.8 E 265 33.6 N 0.3 E 371
13:44:05 457 0.61 49 83 -2.6 84 -15 33.8 N 4.9 E 265 33.5 N 0.3 E 371
13:44:06 466 0.59 48 83 -2.5 83 -15 33.8 N 4.9 E 265 33.4 N 0.3 E 371
13:44:07 475 0.57 48 83 -2.5 83 -15 33.8 N 5.0 E 265 33.4 N 0.3 E 371
13:44:08 484 0.55 48 84 -2.5 82 -15 33.8 N 5.1 E 265 33.3 N 0.3 E 371
13:44:09 493 0.53 47 84 -2.4 82 -15 33.7 N 5.1 E 265 33.2 N 0.2 E 371