Hi, At 15:04 26.12.1997 +0000, Alan Pickup wrote: >The latest elsets for AsiaSat 3 and (what I assume to be) its failed >Block-DM3 stage are: >AsiaSat 3 35997 x 269 km >1 25126U 97086A 97360.35094992 .00023211 00000-0 96956-2 0 78 >2 25126 51.5125 91.9746 7288063 1.0795 359.8143 2.26259055 31 >AsiaSat 3 Block-DM3 r? 35996 x 223 km >1 25129U 97086D 97359.90803672 -.00000507 00000-0 00000-0 0 14 >2 25129 51.4499 92.0594 7304004 1.0181 359.8589 2.26580509 16 > >Contrary to some reports, they are in no danger of imminent re-entry and >should survive the ups and downs of lunisolar perturbations into the >next millennium. According to the Khrunichev Space Center press service, the gas generator of the RKK Energiya's upper stage exploded just one second after the second burn start. If Proton were launched from Kourou, Asiasat 3 would probably be able to achieve geostationary orbit... Asiasat intends to de-orbit the bird after some tests so it would barely survive into next millenium. Igor Lissov Manager, Foreign Information Novosti Kosmonavtiki/VideoCosmos Co. Phone: 7-095-742-32-99 Mail: 127427 Russia, Moscow, ul. Akademika Koroleva 12 str.3 'All astronauts are created equal, but some are more equal than others' 'Deke!' - by Donald K. 'Deke' Slayton with Michael Cassutt