92- 36 B = 22007 : jump in semi major axis!

Kurt Jonckheere (kjonckheere@unicall.be)
Sun, 10 Dec 95 19:58:36 +0000 (GMT)

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In message 1204 I already mentioned the strange
behaviour of the orbit of the Cosmos rocket
92- 36 B = 22007:

Until the end of Novembre 1995 the semi major 
axis remained approximately constant at 7354.4 km.  
Last two weeks, it changed very fast.

DATE            Semi Major Axis  (calculated from OIG)
95-10-01        7354.40 km
95-11-29        7354.44
95-11-30        7354.61
95-12-02        7355.95
95-12-04        7354.50        
95-12-05        7354.12
95-12-06        7353.86
95-12-07        7353.68
95-12-08        7353.58

This is a jump of about 2.5 km (!) in one week,
which is still going on.

During last months I analyzed a lot of satellites 
but never saw such a distinct jump of that order.

Something very particular must have happened.

Was it hit by a meteorite and is residual fuel
gassing out now?
Is the rocket accelerating? 

Latest elements still show a great MMdot.
1 22007U 92036B   95342.58582257  .00031416  00000-0  31702-1 0  5700
2 22007  82.9312  38.9831 0036209  12.6958 347.5084 13.76747143101096

For Northern latitudes it becomes visible in the morning
within a week or so.

Happy observing!

Kurt Jonckheere (kjonckheere@unicall.be)

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