The three cataloged objects from the 2003 003 launch are now making very favorable evening passes every four days. Last night objects B and C made passes 65 degrees up in the south at a range of about 600 miles. Object C flashed to about magnitude 0 every 8.0 seconds. Object B flashed to about magnitude 0 every 16 seconds or so. I suspect that object B is the H2A rocket. MDS 1 ? 1 27367U 02003A 03113.97796297 -.00000363 00000-0 -13041-2 0 3106 2 27367 29.0131 53.6473 7205572 72.2630 349.4952 2.27504093 10097 DASH ? 1 27368U 02003B 03113.16193502 +.00000355 +00000-0 +15040-2 0 02927 2 27368 029.0410 053.5359 7207715 072.2590 349.4993 02.27782905010079 MDS 1 Fairing1 4.0 2.0 0.0 1.0 v 5.8 1 27369U 02003C 03113.16794145 .00001125 00000-0 43449-2 0 2973 2 27369 29.0038 53.0523 7197372 73.1223 349.2343 2.28973198 10102 Since Fairing 2 has not been seen in many months, I take a look up in the south every once in a while. Last night I spotted an unknown object on a proper west to east course. I have taken a C elset and picked each of the two mean motions: 1 99991U 02003X 03116.99808049 0.00001125 00000-0 41197-2 0 06 2 99991 29.0038 51.7139 7197372 75.2828 284.7170 2.28982042 01 1 99991U 02003X 03116.99758975 0.00001125 00000-0 51900-2 0 01 2 99991 29.0038 51.7139 7197372 75.2828 284.7170 2.27802042 01 This object was about magnitude 2 for the few seconds I watched it. I suspect it may be one of the payloads. Of course the mean motion for either elset could be incorrect so that it could be off 10 minutes in 4 days. Mike McCants Austin, TX ----------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from SeeSat-L, send a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@satobs.org List archived at http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Apr 27 2003 - 17:55:37 EDT