Greg Roberts wrote:
> New launch object NRO-20?
> -------------------------------------
>
> Using Teds revised search elements dated 20 October, I did a
> search for the new object and the following was seen - I do
> not have any other object predicted in the area the time so
> it may well be the new launch.
The payload, USA 186, seems to fit best:
1 72001U 05298.76079552 .00009076 00000-0 10000-3 0 04
2 72001 97.8760 0.5542 0548907 164.6739 197.1874 14.72000000 05
I had estimated that the initial argument of perigee would be close to either
137.5 deg or 189 deg, and had favoured the former. So of course, it turns out to
have been near the latter.
Here is a revised search elset for the rocket body, with a higher decay term:
175 X 1029
1 72002U 05292.75993056 .01300000 00000-0 16105-2 0 05
2 72002 97.8760 354.5813 0611200 184.0000 342.4000 14.87728598 04
> 96072A- #24680- USA 129 was NOT seen using elements 15 days
> old so has it been de-orbited?
Most likely it performed a small reboost, which I estimate could have occurred
as long as ago as Oct 15. The manoeuvre should cause it to trail the
pre-manoeuvre orbit by about 2 min/day, so today (Oct 26), it could trail by
about 22 min, with a fairly large uncertainty, say 10 min.
> (1) After an enforced absence due to surgery I am now "building up steam"
> again and hope to start tracking regularly soon.
I am glad to know that you are on the mend!
Ted Molczan
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