Superbird A - more obs need

ROB MATSON (ROBERT.D.MATSON@cpmx.saic.com)
14 Feb 1997 11:13:07 -0800

Hi Ron,

I realize Superbird is now above our horizon; but I've only got one
observation from 2/1 to work with, and I've yet to reconcile it with our
observations from Sept/Oct.  Our calculated panel pointing normals from last
Fall only cover 4 angular degrees -- not very good for extrapolation.  There
must be more European observations from this year that I can work with, but I
haven't seen them published here on Seesat-L.

You asked:

"Based upon Rainer's evening obs with the satellite in
the southwest, it that the only time we might see flashes
or could some be visible in the morning when it is in the
southeast?

I was considering looking all night, but with the cold
weather and uncertainty over elements, I am hesitant."

The geometry would be quite different for us -- depending on the current
rotation axis, we could get flashes just about any time of the night, or not
at all.  Maybe someone will chime in with another observation, though I really
need at least 3 to come up with a good axis.   --Rob