Re: Midas 9

From: Bram Dorreman (bram.dorreman@skynet.be)
Date: Sat Sep 22 2001 - 20:31:46 EDT

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    -----Original Message-----
    From: Vitek, Antonin <avitek@lib.cas.cz>
    To: SeeSat-L@satobs.org <SeeSat-L@satobs.org>
    Date: zaterdag 22 september 2001 16:54
    Subject: Re: Midas 9
    
    
    >A comprehensive article about Midas Project with description of
    >satellites can be found here:
    >
    >Missile Defense Alarm : The Genesis of Space-based Infrared Early
    >Warning / C. Hall. - Quest 7 [1] 5-17 (1999).
    >
    
    Is there a URL available for this document? Or is it available in a
    different way?
    >The satellites were
    >equipped with pair of solar panels connected to the engine compartment
    >of the Agena. >The program continued further as Midas RTS-1 Series (first
    one was
    >1966-051A = SSC 2200 = Ops 1960) with three launches (only the last two
    >launches were completely successful).
    >
    > 1960-006A          Midas 2 (decayed 1974-02-07)
    > 1961-018A          Midas 3
    > 1961-028A          Midas 4
    > 1962-010A          Midas 5
    > 1963-014A          Midas 7
    > 1963-030A          Midas 9
    > 1966-051A          Midas RTS-1 F-1 (incorrect orbit, decayed
    >1966-12-03)
    > 1966-077A          Midas RTS-1 F-2
    > 1966-089A          Midas RTS-1 F-3
    With the exception of 1960-006A (too low incliantion) and 1966-051A (lived
    too short) I have observed all those objects. I now suppose the solar panels
    sometimes cause a relatively speaking high brightness of those satellites.
    Normally they are rather hard to find in 7 x 50 binoculairs. Sometimes you
    see them unintentionally.
    Until now the maximum brigthness I found for these objects is:
    1961-018A: 4
    1961-028A: 4
    1962-010A: 2
    1963-014A: 0
    1963-030A: 2
    1966-077A: 5
    1966-089A: -1
    Bram Dorreman,
    COSPAR 4160 (Achel 1):
    51° 16' 45.5" N (51.2793 N),
    5° 28' 36.6" E (5.4768 E)
    
    
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