Orbital mechanics....and Mars

From: John Locker (john@satcom.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Sat Mar 13 2004 - 03:00:01 EST

  • Next message: Ted Molczan: "RE: Orbital mechanics....and Mars"

    Hi all,
    
    
    I'm having big probs with my ISP at the moment , so not sure if this has
    been covered , but has anyone checked out the math relating to this photo of
    a satellite orbiting above Mars as caught by Spirit ?
    
    Regards,
    
    John
    
    
    http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040311a.html
    
    "the object appeared to move 4 degrees of an arc in 15 seconds it is
    probably not the Russian probes Mars 2, Mars 3, Mars 5, or Phobos 2; or the
    American probes Mariner 9 or Viking 1. That leaves Viking 2, which has a
    polar orbit that would fit with the north-south orientation of the streak.
    In addition, only Viking 1 and 2 were left in orbits that could produce
    motion as fast as that seen by Spirit. Said Mark Lemmon, a rover team member
    from Texas A&M University, Texas, "Is this the first image of a meteor on
    Mars, or an image of a spacecraft sent from another world during the dawn of
    our robotic space exploration program? We may never know, but we are still
    looking for clues." NASA
    
    
    
    
    
    
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