RE: Orbiting Antiques .....

From: Brierley David (DMBRIERLEY@dera.gov.uk)
Date: Mon Apr 03 2000 - 06:53:34 PDT

  • Next message: Edward S Light: "Re; Orbiting Antiques ....."

    Matthew
    >  
    >      Does anyone know what the oldest objects still in Earth Orbit
    > are?
    >      Is Telstar 1 the oldest of them all?
    > 
    Most elset listings start with the following objects:
    
    Vanguard 1       0.2  0.0  0.0 10.3 v 0.12
    1 00005U 58002B   00088.79323596 +.00000336 +00000-0 +40487-3 0 04724
    2 00005 034.2650 267.8426 1859653 284.0783 056.0927 10.82369685403803
    Vanguard 2       0.5  0.0  0.0  9.8 d 0.43
    1 00011U 59001A   00088.89891216 +.00005340 +00000-0 +29392-2 0 05813
    2 00011 032.8697 291.6026 1510104 157.9248 209.4034 11.76501293741990
    Vanguard 2 r     1.2  0.5  0.0  9.1 d 0.70
    1 00012U 59001B   00088.48425900  .00004255  00000-0  25350-2 0    79
    2 00012  32.9184 155.0603 1707370 301.7183  42.7987 11.36064516678269
    Vanguard 1 r     1.2  0.5  0.0  9.1 d 0.35
    1 00016U 58002A   00088.45739868 +.00000308 +00000-0 +45711-3 0 09305
    2 00016 034.2558 217.8031 2035874 089.4958 293.6949 10.46610672683844
    Vanguard 3       2.5  0.5  0.0  8.4 d 0.82
    1 00020U 59007A   00089.13746849 +.00001701 +00000-0 +70228-3 0 09342
    2 00020 033.3553 033.4938 1726816 236.9191 105.3802 11.43046483379000
    Explorer 7       0.8  0.8  0.0  8.8 d 0.87
    1 00022U 59009A   00089.08256676 +.00004341 +00000-0 +57584-3 0 03936
    2 00022 050.3005 329.4425 0220985 244.9239 112.8615 14.66044787128447
    
    Vanguard 1 was America's answer to Sputnik 1.  It was nicknamed
    "Grapefruit" because it was so small (0.2m diameter in the listing), but
    at least it's still in orbit.  Its original id was 1958 beta 2, under a
    scheme proposed by the astronomer Fred Whipple.  However every year saw
    more and more launches, so that in 1962 they went through the Greek
    alphabet three times, from 1962 alpha to 1962 beta omega.  The current
    scheme came in with 1963-003A.
    
    The oldest satellite visible from the UK is Explorer 7, originally 1959
    iota 1.  It's only 0.8x0.8m, so you need a good pair of binocs to see
    it.
    
    The oldest Russian satellite in orbit (visible from the UK) is Electron
    1, 1964-006A.  It's also small, and difficult to see except near
    perigee.
    
    David.
    
    David M Brierley
    Malvern, Worcestershire, UK
    Station 2675, 52.1358N 2.3264W 70m
    
    
    
    
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    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Apr 03 2000 - 07:01:54 PDT