Hello everybody,
I have been trying to access the links to Seesat archives provided
by Ted but I find myself blocked by "Apache". When I google the archives
or main website, for Seesat, I also receive an "access denied by
Apache". Is something wrong?
Gordon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Molczan" <ssl2molcz@rogers.com>
To: <seesat-l@satobs.org>
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 7:31 PM
Subject: RE: USA 144 debris
> Gordon wrote:
>
> > I recently observed 1999-028C with the unaided eye.
> > Calsky informs me that it is debris from USA 144 with a
> > magnitude of 4.8 and an orbit 2680kmx3140km. To be visible at
> > all this must be quite a piece of debris!
>
> It is an unusual object. Until 2002, it was generally believed to be
the
> payload, mainly due to its brightness, and so we used to call it
99028A.
>
> There were a couple of problems with the theory that it was the
payload. It
> rotated slowly, and it exhibited apparent orbital drag that was about
10 times
> greater than expected for a payload at its altitude.
>
> In 2002, a re-analysis of our large collection of hobbyist
observations revealed
> that the apparent drag was due to solar radiation pressure, which led
to the
> conclusion that the object was debris-like, as posted here:
>
> http://satobs.org/seesat/Aug-2002/0045.html
>
> In a follow-up message I speculated that the object could be a decoy,
intended
> to draw attention away from the deployment of the actual payload,
which now is
> generally believed to be the second Misty stealth imaging
reconnaissance
> satellite, probably in a quasi 65 deg, 700 - 800 km orbit:
>
> http://satobs.org/seesat/Aug-2002/0075.html
>
> In recognition that the object in question cannot be the payload, we
eventually
> changed our designation for it to 99028C.
>
>
> > Can anyone tell me what it is and how large it is?
>
> Some of us believe the decoy theory; others prefer the debris theory;
at this
> time there is no way to be certain which theory is correct.
>
> I estimate that it is about 5 m across, with a mass of perhaps a few
hundred
> kilograms.
>
> > Is there an on-line catalogue of debris, with descriptions?
>
> Jonathan McDowell maintains an excellent catalogue of all objects ever
launched
> into orbit, which identifies many pieces of debris cast off during the
launch
> and deployment of satellites, as well as those resulting from
fragmentations:
>
> http://www.planet4589.org/space/log/launchlog.txt
>
> Ted Molczan
>
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