The perils of relying on TLEs

From: John Locker (john@satcom.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Mon Oct 18 2004 - 09:40:32 EDT

  • Next message: Mike McCants: "Re: The perils of relying on TLEs"

    Interesting snippet which turned up  whilst doing a it of research into 
    focusCloseAp......
    
    
    From :
    
    OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE USE OF A GENERIC PRODUCT FOR COLLISION RISK
    ASSESSMENT ON GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT
    
    [Quote]
    
    But the worst experience with the TLE data provided by USSTRATCOM occurred
    when five close approaches to GOES-7 were detected in a period of 3 days
    with a radial separation below 2 km and GOES-7 was moving with a slow drift
    rate making longitude separation very difficult (even with the methods
    described above). The TLE data for GOES-7 was a month older than the
    predicted conjunction date, and it was a difficult situation for the New
    Skies operations. One day later, the TLE data of the object was updated and
    it was found (after running focusCloseAp) that the GOES-7 had jumped in
    longitude by 1800 km, had already passed the
    New Skies satellite and was now drifting slowly away from it.
    
    [Unquote]
    
    Ooops !
    
    John
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
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