I noticed looking at the NASA TV schedule that the STS-105 timeline calls for
the deployment of a satellite named "Simplesat" at 18:05 UT (2:05PM EDT)
today. The shuttle cargo page describes Simplesat as:
Simplesat is an engineering satellite designed to evaluate
the use of inexpensive commercial hardware for spacecraft.
It is expected that Simplesat will demonstrate Global
Positioning System attitude control and fine pointing control
while in free-flyer low-Earth orbit.
Unfortunately, the Realtime Data orbital elements shows no predicted TLEs for
Simplesat, as they have sometimes done for other deployments, such as
Starshine.
Does anyone have any guess as to whether Simplesat may be visible naked eye
(or binocular) this evening or where it might be in relation to the shuttle?
Starshine, as I recall, was about 5 degrees ahead of the shuttle when they
passed after being deployed earlier the same day. With undocking set for
this morning, I'm wondering whether we may get to see a train of three
spacecraft this evening.
I'm on the SeeSat Digest list, so please "cc" replies to me directly as I may
not get them until the next digest is issued, which may not be until tomorrow
sometime, after this evening's passes.
Web pages referred to:
NASA-TV Schd: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html
STS-105 Cargo: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-105/cargo/
STS-105 TLEs:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/SSapplications/Post/JavaSSOP/or
bit/SHUTTLE/SVPOST.html
Jim Cook
Germantown, MD
39.2N, 77.3W
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Aug 20 2001 - 06:45:01 PDT