Hi, Predicting flares from the main solar array is quite difficult since the software needs to work out the flight mode of ISS and take care of the tracking of the solar panels to the sun. Also with the recent problems on the tracking motors it appears that sometimes the panels have been in different orientations (see our stills from the 15th October at http://www.btinternet.com/~mikejtyrrell/anim_frameset.htm ). These problems may be fixed now following the spacewalk the other day. The closest we have to a prediction is to use Phil's ISS simulator. The current version will calculate the expected flight mode and allow the panel angle to be put in by hand, by experimenting with the panel angle you can confirm if there was a flare off the array for any location/pass. The next version will have an additional routine to auto calculate the panel angle to follow the sun - we are currently working on this code. The simulator is at http://freespace.virgin.net/philip.masding/ISSSim.htm Regards, Mike Tyrrell -----Original Message----- From: Patrice Scattolin [mailto:scattol@videotron.ca] Sent: 15 December 2001 04:48 To: SeeSat-L@satobs.org Subject: Re: ISS magnitude surge Tom Wagner wrote: > James, > > Check out the movie showing a flare off the ISS at > http://www.btinternet.com/~mikejtyrrell/iss.htm It will put much meaning to > what you saw. Are there predictions for these events? Is it even predictable? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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