RE: Unknown satellites: request for IDs
Mike McCants (mike@comshare.com)
Tue, 4 Jun 1996 20:03:20 -0500
The "middle" observations from
1995 12 29.84432 11 14 27.76 +38 18 27.6
through
1995 12 29.85375 11 18 31.46 +36 06 37.3
are fit by the Cosmos 1974 rocket:
1 19557U 88092 D 96004.94805890 -.00000731 00000-0 10000-3 0 5246
2 19557 66.5697 7.0236 6147413 309.3129 10.4510 2.04120446 54080
*** 95 Dec 28/29 Thu evening/ Fri morning *** Times are UT ***
NCT 19557 C 1974 Block L 88-092D 6.4 M 4.0 ELDY -6 M2 -7
MAG HGT ALT AZI HRS MIN R A DEC RANGE
12.1 22211 81 82 20 0 11 9.5 40.8 22254
12.1 22094 82 94 20 10 11 12.7 39.2 22126
12.1 21945 83 108 20 20 11 15.7 37.6 21971
12.1 21765 83 126 20 30 11 18.7 36.0 21788
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I can't match the last observation with any known high altitude object.
However, it is matched to 5 seconds in time and 0.05 degrees in
position with this relatively low object, Cosmos 1716:
1 16449U 86002 A 95362.12192334 -.00000001 00000-0 10000-3 0 4698
2 16449 73.9861 18.8983 0017336 149.5393 210.6662 12.46761145453665
*** 95 Dec 29 Fri evening *** Times are PM UT *** 944 2238
16449 Cosmos 1716 .77
H M S Tim Al Az Dir Mag Dys F Hgt Shd Rng EW Phs R A Dec
10 1 51 0.0 77 251C 267 9.3 2 0 915 697 934 1.0 63 1124 35.0
10 2 37 0.0 72 209 226 9.5 2 0 915 731 954 1.0 70 1147 23.8
-----
The first 6 observations appear to be a relatively bright object
at a range of 22000 miles. Of course the inclination of 63.6
suggests an eccentric 12 hour orbit.
Of course 2.006 mean motion would be "nice". The following elset
gives "zero" residuals:
1 99999U 95363.47096110 0.00000000 00000-0 00000+0 0 01
2 99999 63.6860 6.3781 7160000 272.0170 87.9830 2.00600000 03
But the following elset and many related elsets also give zero
residuals.
1 99999U 95363.47838008 0.00000000 00000-0 00000+0 0 01
2 99999 63.6200 6.0781 7400000 272.0170 87.9830 2.13580000 06
Maybe a Centaur from a classified launch?
Mike McCants
mike@comshare.com