=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Re=A0:_Chandra_IUS_SRM-1_Obs?=
jason.hatton@wanadoo.fr
Sun, 25 Jul 99 15:41:40 PDT
Ron Lee wrote,
> Posted per request of Paul Maley
>
> "Object 25868 identified by OIG as the CXO R/B-1 was observed from
> Houston on 24 July, first at 0340UT at a range of 8633 st.mi. varying
slowly
> from 8.7 to 9th magnitude. Then in spite of 80% cloud cover, I again
> observed and video recorded it at 0935 and 0950 at ranges of 4696 and 3529
> st.mi. Magnitudes at those ranges were between 8-8.7 and 7.5-8.5.
> respectively.....Paul Maley"
>
I also had a nice observation of the Chandra IUS R/B-1 (OIG id 25868) last
night (24th July) for a few minutes around 21:20UT. At a range of approx.
14,000km (near apogee) it was around mag+9, with little variation in
brightness. This IUS R/B-1 is in a 260 x 14000km orbit with a 258 minute
period. The apogee of this rocket is somewhat lower than IUS's used for
geosynchronous satellite launches, so even at its most distant range it is
easily visible in a small telescope.
For further details of other IUS rockets which are potentially observable,
see my web page (not yet updated with orbital parameters of the IUS, I'm
waiting until OIG finds the IUS R/B 2 ;-)
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/1668/ius.htm
Best wishes & clear skies,
Jason P Hatton
06200 Nice
France
43.692N, 7.246E,30M
(43d41'29"N,7d14'47"E,30m)
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/1668/high-alt.htm