RE: usa 55
Philip Chien (kc4yer@amsat.org)
Tue, 6 Jul 1999 14:27:29 -0400
>> I came across the following satellite on the oig site.
>> USA 55
>> 1 20547U 90028B 99182.91403296 .00002595 00000-0 16612-3 0 7640
>> 2 20547 94.1080 178.1523 0119014 309.4354 49.6393 15.03100702505983
>>
>> IntID/Name CatNo Source period Incl Apogee Perigee RCS
>> ------------ ----- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------- --------
>> 1990-028B 20547 US 95.8 94.1 640 475 0.0976
>> USA 55 Launched (1990/04/05)
>>
>> Has anyone seen this one, as it will be awhile before it will be visible
>> from my location.
>
>As I recall, this is Glomar with its Pegasus 3rd stage
>still attached.
No. The GLOMR was ejected from the Pegasus 3rd stage, hence two objects in
orbit. There was some confusion as to which object was which for a while.
1990 28A is the "primary" payload for the mission, Pegasat. What may have
caused the confusion is that Pegast was permanently attached to the upper
stage which would normally be designated the B object.
>This satellite *is* included in Alan
>Pickup's ALLSAT file. The (Molczan) standard magnitude
>I have for this satellite is +9.6, so it must not be very
>big. (The RCS above supports this.) --Rob
correct. It's about 19" in diameter, about the size of a football (soccer
for Americans). The satellite was originally designed as a GAS ejectable
payload from the shuttle.
Philip Chien, KC4YER
Earth News
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