Mir encounter with MSTI 2

ROB MATSON (ROBERT.D.MATSON@cpmx.saic.com)
1 Jul 1997 14:52:01 -0800

Hi Igor,

Enjoyed looking through your list of close approaches to Mir over the years;
actually I'm surprised the list is so short for objects coming within 2 km of
the Space Station.  To wit, I just ran a search for objects coming close to
the Mir Complex over the next few days.  I found that MSTI 2 (Norad #23101) is
predicted to make a close approach on July 4th around 13:07:15 UTC.  I
connected to OIG and downloaded the most recent elements for MSTI 2, then
reran the prediction.  The approach is even closer with the latest elements --
a scant 2.5 km!  Here are the particulars:

Mir Complex
1 16609U 86017A   97181.50486757  .00049825  00000-0  61775-3 0  4231
2 16609  51.6548  18.9716 0004445 203.7336 156.2755 15.59529282649105

MSTI 2
1 23101U 94028A   97181.56163465  .00005459  00000-0  72864-4 0  4643
2 23101  97.0660  17.4648 0010375   3.8800 356.2540 15.58444369178136

Closest approach is at 13:07:14.3 UTC on July 4, 1997, at a range of 2.5 km. 
The orbital elements used will be about 4 days old at the time of conjunction.
 MSTI 2 will be below the Mir Complex at this time, around 30 degrees from
nadir.  --Rob