Re: NROL-85 elset update

From: Bob Christy via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2022 20:40:55 +0000
The object is now catalogued as USA 327, 52259/2022-40A. There is no corresponding entry for the Falcon 9 upper stage, presumably indicating that de-orbit was successful after one revolution.

A thought - if the second object does not appear, it may be worth monitoring how this object settles down in relation to the co-planar NOSS 3 - 6 pair.

China has a similar operational constellation of Yaogan 31 satellites that orbit as triplets.

Recently it has launched two Yaogan 34s that each orbit at a fixed distance behind a Yaogan 31 set - http://www.zarya.info/Diaries/blog/tracks.php?event=Yaogan%2034%20-%20The%20Shadow

Robert Christy

> On 18 Apr 2022, at 11:37, Marco Langbroek via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org> wrote:
> 
> Updated preliminary NROL-85 elset, based on observations reported by Eelke Visser and me:
> 
> NROL-85 (USA 327)
> 1 70002U 22999A   22108.04497945 0.00000000  00000-0  00000+0 0    07
> 2 70002  63.5043 123.5866 0114230 185.9890 173.9785 13.40421486    07
> 
> rms 0.024 deg, from 21 observations Apr 17.83 - Apr 18.06 UT
> 
> This corresponds to a ~1193 x 1022 km orbit, 63.5 degree inclined.
> 
> Barring any large manoeuvres (which is always possible!), this elset should be good to within a few seconds coming night.
> 
> I suggest we keep looking for a second object in a wide time window around nominal pass times of this object.
> 
> So far, the apparent absence of a secondary payload is interesting. Either this is not an INTRUDER/NOSS mission after all; or it is an improved version of INTRUDER that now only needs one single satellite (they once started with three); or we somehow missed the second payload.
> 
> These kind of surprises is what keeps tracking interesting!
> 
> For new observers: your observations are very welcome, but a plea to report your observations in IOD format:
> 
> http://www.satobs.org/position/IODformat.html
> 
> My "IOD Entry" software available at http://software.langbroek.org can help you to easily create IOD formatted datalines from your raw data.
> 
> - Marco
> 
> 
> -----
> Dr Marco Langbroek  -  SatTrackCam Leiden, the Netherlands.
> e-mail: sattrackcam_at_langbroek.org
> 
> launchtower:    http://launchtower.langbroek.org
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Received on Mon Apr 18 2022 - 15:42:01 UTC

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