The mean rate of decay of the semi-major axis of the thirty-six (36) USSTRATCOM TLEs from epoch 11361.55720242 to 12001.54966173 (2011 Dec 27 13:22 - Jan 01 13:12 UTC) was 1.9331 km/d. Using the STOAG propagator and actual space weather during that period, I found that the mean rate of decay could be accounted for using A/m = 0.0011927 mē/kg and Cd = 2.2. Using those values with predicted space weather, STOAG propagates the orbit to decay on 2012 Jan 16. Estimated uncertainty is +/- 3 days, based on the rule of thumb of 20 percent of the time remaining to decay. Below is the plot of estimated A/m since the orbit manoeuvres ceased, through Dec 31. Most of the points are at ~2 day intervals, and typically span the preceding ~2 day period. For Cd = 2.2, the mean A/m was 0.0012786 mē/kg; those values, with predicted space weather, would advance the estimated date of decay by about one day, to Jan 15. http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/phsrm/Fobos-Grunt_area_to_mass_ratio_evolution_v7.pdf I extracted the actual and predicted space weather data required by STOAG from data provided by Celestrak.com, which compiles data issued by official sources (mainly NOAA) and presents it in a convenient format: http://celestrak.com/SpaceData http://celestrak.com/SpaceData/SpaceWx-format.asp Ted Molczan _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l
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