Possible fifth object from 2002 003 launch

From: Michael McCants (mmccants@jump.net)
Date: Sun Apr 27 2003 - 17:50:27 EDT

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    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
    
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