SatEvo decay list #67

Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 20 Dec 1998 19:25:08 +0000

SatEvo decay list #67  (issued 1998 December 20)

This list of my satellite decay (re-entry) predictions and analyses 
is posted to the satellite observers mailing list, SeeSat-L,
and to the Usenet newsgroup sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe.
Information about SeeSat-L is available at
   http://www.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html

The "Actual?" decay dates are my estimates based on the published 
orbital element sets ("elsets") over the object's final days. 
Objects are included in the "Predicted" column if I anticipate 
their decay by 1999 February 10, although some larger and/or more 
interesting decayers are included beyond that date.

This and other recent decay lists are available on the WWW via 
my SatEvo page at
               http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/
Linked from this page are files containing recent elsets for all
the Iridium satellites, all the objects in this decay list, plus
elsets for other selected objects including Mir, ISS, the Shuttle, 
and all newly launched and/or catalogued objects.


   #    Designation    Name              ---- Decay (1998/9) ----
                                            Predicted   Actual?

 24264   94- 29 MP  STEP-2 Pegasus deb             December  1
 25426   94- 29 ADS STEP-2 Pegasus deb             December  2?  Notes 2,3
 11240   79-  4 A   Molniya 3-11                   December  2.80
 25294   86- 17 MQ  Mir VDU                        December  2.89
 24237   94- 29 LL  STEP-2 Pegasus deb             December  4
 21337   75- 52 BF  Nimbus 6 Delta deb             December  4.7
 25534   86- 17 MV  Mir deb                        December  5.3
  8368   75-100 C   GOES 1 Delta 1 r2              December  6.30 Note 4
 23067   89- 89 BN  COBE deb                       December  6?  Notes 2,3
 24008   94- 29 BD  STEP-2 Pegasus deb             December  7
 24816   95- 71 D   Cosmos 2326 deb                December 11.7
 22439   92- 93 EG  C 2227 Zenit deb               December 13
 25570   98- 67 C   ISS deb                        December 14
 25443   94- 29 ADY STEP-2 Pegasus deb             December 15?  Notes 2,3
 22928   93- 77 B   Telstar 401 Centaur r          December 17.31
 24463   94- 29 TL  STEP-2 Pegasus deb             December 18   Note 3
 25362   94- 29 ADP STEP-2 Pegasus deb             December 18?  Notes 2,3
 25499   98- 25 E   C 2350 aux motor               December 19.44
  3508   68- 91 E   Cosmos 249 deb        December 21
 25581   98- 74 E   Iridium deb           December 21?  Note 6
  9794   70-102 F   Cosmos 381 r deb      December 22
 24624   94- 29 AAC STEP-2 Pegasus deb    December 22?  Note 2
 25210   87- 68 AM  Meteor 2-16 deb       December 23
 25582   98- 74 F   Iridium deb           December 23?  Note 6
 24178   94- 29 JD  STEP-2 Pegasus deb    December 24
 25583   98- 74 G   Iridium deb           December 24?  Note 6
 25584   98- 74 H   Iridium deb           December 24?  Note 6
 25441   94- 29 ADW STEP-2 Pegasus deb    December 25?  Note 2
 24086   94- 29 EH  STEP-2 Pegasus deb    December 26?  Note 2
  3381   65- 82 MT  OV2-1/LCS 2 deb       December 27
 24475   94- 29 TY  STEP-2 Pegasus deb    December 27
 25120   97- 84 J   Orbcomm 8 Pegasus r   December 28
  2988   65- 82 MT  OV2-1/LCS 2 deb       December 30
 23539   95- 16 D   Brazilsat B2 Spelda   December 30
  4610   70- 25 N   Nimbus 4 Agena deb    December 31
 24693   94- 29 ABB STEP-2 Pegasus deb    December 31?  Note 2
 25190   87- 68 R   Meteor 2-16 deb       December 31?  Note 2
 25572   98- 73 B   MCO Delta 2 r1         January  1
  9974   68- 97 DW  Cosmos 252 deb         January  1
 22492   92- 93 GB  Cosmos 2227 deb        January  2
 21083   90- 81 CJ  FY-1B CZ-4 deb         January  3
 25192   87- 68 T   Meteor 2-16 deb        January  3
 24101   94- 29 EY  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January  4
  4583   70- 85 A   Meteor 1-6             January  5
 24345   94- 29 NW  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January  5
 25193   87- 68 U   Meteor 2-16 deb        January  5
 21148   91- 17 B   Lacrosse 2 r           January  6
 25421   98- 46 J   Orbcomm 13 Pegasus r   January  6
 24159   94- 29 HJ  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January  7
 25455   87- 68 CC  Meteor 2-16 deb        January  7
 25532   98- 66 F   Iridium 2 Delta r      January  9
 25247   87- 68 BQ  Meteor 2-16 deb        January 10
 25533   98- 62 C   Sputnik 41             January 10
 25440   94- 29 ADV STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 11
 23066   89- 89 BM  COBE deb               January 13
 25211   87- 68 AN  Meteor 2-16 deb        January 14
 22896   83 -75 N   Cosmos 1484 deb        January 17
 25230   87- 68 BH  Meteor 2-16 deb        January 17
 25579   98- 74 C   Iridium CZ-2C r ?      January 17?  Note 6
 24038   94- 29 CK  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 20
 24532   94- 29 WG  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 22
 16187   85- 99 A   Molniya 1-65           January 24?  Note 5
 25065   97- 74 C   ETS-7 r                January 24
 25186   87- 68 M   Meteor 2-16 deb        January 26
 25218   87- 68 AV  Meteor 2-16 deb        January 26
 23972   94- 29 S   STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 27
 23974   94- 29 U   STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 27
  3564   68- 97 Q   Cosmos 252 deb         January 28
 24369   94- 29 PW  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 28
 24542   94- 29 WS  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 29
 25207   87- 68 AJ  Meteor 2-16 deb        January 29
 24565   94- 29 XR  STEP-2 Pegasus deb     January 30
 24019   94- 29 BQ  STEP-2 Pegasus deb    February  1
 23075   89- 89 BW  COBE deb              February  2
  5399   71- 67 L   OV1-20/OV1-21 deb     February  3
 25452   87- 68 BZ  Meteor 2-16 deb       February  3
 24405   94- 29 RJ  STEP-2 Pegasus deb    February  5
 19145   87- 20 BE  Cosmos 1823 deb       February  6
 25562   98- 71 C   SWAS Pegasus deb      February 10
 22584   93- 17 D   GPS 2-19 r2           February 12
 16683   86- 31 A   Molniya 3-28          February 20?  Note 5
 23907   96- 29 B   NOSS 2-3 r            February 26
 25472   98- 51 F   Iridium 82 Delta r       March  3
 23529   95- 13 B   Intlst 705 Centaur r     March  6
 25166   98-  8 E   Globalstar 1 Delta r     March 27
  7418   74- 66 B   Cosmos 673 r             April
  8755   76- 24 B   Cosmos 808 r             April
 12519   81- 54 E   Molniya 3-16 r2          April
 14329   83- 94 B   Satcom 2R Delta r        April
 22583   93- 17 C   GPS 2-19 r1              April
 25580   98- 74 D   Iridium Smart Disp ?     April?  Note 6
  4120   69- 84 B   Meteor 1-2 r               May
 25347   98- 32 F   Iridium 70 Delta r         May
 20352   89- 96 A   Granat                    June
 23186   94- 43 B   APStar 1 CZ-3 r           June
 16609   86- 17 A   Mir                       July   Note 1


Notes

1. The predicted decay of Mir (#16609 = 86- 17 A) is on the basis
that it is not manoeuvred in orbit before atmospheric drag brings it 
down normally. In fact, I understand that it is intended to raise 
the orbit on December 22 and again in 1999 March.

2. No recent elsets.

3. USSPACECOM has yet to confirm this decay.

4. #8368 was identified incorrectly as "GEOS 1 Delta 1 r2" in my
previous lists.

5. Thanks to Michael Earl for alerting me to the decays of
Molniyas 1-65 and 3-28.

6. The identities of the objects from the 98- 74 Iridium launch on 
December 19 have yet to be confirmed. Also, too few elsets have 
appeared to allow a reliable estimate of their decay.

Alan
-- 
 Alan Pickup | COSPAR 2707:   55d53m48.7s N   3d11m51.2s W   156m asl
 Edinburgh   | Home:   alan@wingar.demon.co.uk    +44 (0)131 477 9144
 Scotland    | SatEvo page:     http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/