tether observation
Anthony Beresford (starman@camtech.net.au)
Tue, 5 Mar 1996 21:43:35 +1030
>Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 20:12:03 +1100 (EST)
>From: Gordon Garradd <GJG@AAOCBN3.AAO.GOV.AU>
>To: starman@camtech.com.au
>Subject: tether observation
>Content-Length: 1471
>
>From: SMTP%"gjg@jolt.mpx.com.au" 5-MAR-1996 20:07:58.66
>To: GJG
>CC:
>Subj: Untethered satellite goes kinky (fwd)
>
>Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 20:07:16 +1000 (EST)
>From: Gordon Garradd <gjg@jolt.mpx.com.au>
>X-Sender: gjg@jolt
>To: Rob McNaught <rmn@aaocbn1.aao.gov.au>
>cc: gjg@aaocbn3.aao.gov.au
>Subject: Untethered satellite goes kinky (fwd)
>Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960305200653.23193D-100000@jolt>
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
>
>
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 20:06:16 +1000
>From: Gordon Garradd <gjg@jolt.mpx.com.au>
>Newgroups: sci.astro.amateur
>Subject: Untethered satellite goes kinky
>
>I just watched a favourable pass of the tether, and it seems to have a
>waviness over the bottom third, although it is only a couple of
>slight undulations over that length.
>From the top down it is straight for 12km? then goes forward, then back,
>then a sharp kink forward right on the lower end probably only in the bottom
> 100 - 200 metres. This lower kink looks a bit like the bright point on the
>top end initially, but close inspection with the 10 X 50s shows it clearly.
>The tether was easily visible naked eye despite the Full Moon, and seems to
>be following a bending routine similar to the SEDS tether of 1994, which
>also developed a kink forwards on the lower end.
>Any suggestions for this kinky behaviour?
>The Shuttle followed a similar path about 6 minutes later.
>
>Gordon Garradd
>Loomberah NSW Australia
>
>