NROL-79 is scheduled for launch on an Atlas V-401, from VAFB, on 2017 Mar 01, at 17:50 UTC, within a one hour launch period that opens at 17:30 UTC. The primary payload is the NOSS 3-8 pair of satellites. The planar window opens about 14 min. earlier each day. Live coverage will be available here: http://spaceflightnow.com/2017/02/27/av068_journal/ The NOSS 3-8 plane will be located approximately mid-way between those of NOSS 3-6 and NOSS 3-7. Here are estimated initial elements, assuming launch at 17:50 UTC: NOSS 3-8 1013 X 1200 km 1 79751U 17060.82372686 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 08 2 79751 63.4283 150.7140 0124892 180.5274 352.9095 13.40429195 09 The above are derived from the NOSS 3-6 and NOSS 3-7 launches. Twenty-four hours after launch, allow for at least several minutes time error, and several degrees of track error on high elevation passes. The Centaur will be de-orbited on the first rev after launch, near 45.75 S, 102.85 W. Observers north of about 35 N, will have visibility after midnight. Visibility improves with increasing latitude. Southern hemisphere observers will have evening visibility. Here is my post on the effects of a significant orbital perturbation that affects the NOSS orbit, and how it is managed by the NOSS 3 satellites: http://satobs.org/seesat/Jul-2015/0149.html More information on the U.S. NOSS and China's copy of an earlier U.S. three-satellite NOSS system is available here: http://www.satobs.org/noss.html Happy hunting! Ted Molczan _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-lReceived on Mon Feb 27 2017 - 19:07:46 UTC
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