Re: USA 86 / 116
bjorn@tt-tech.se
Wed, 19 Jun 1996 12:20:02 +0100
Jonathan's Space Report no.267 has :
..
Dec 5 2118 USA 116? Titan 4 Vandenberg SLC4E Recon =20
66A
..
This, along with previous SeeSat-L notes by Ted Molczan, myself, and =20
others,
(some of which are included/linked on my "lostfoun.htm" page)
lead me to postulate that it is more likely that the object I observed on =20=
=20
Apr.10
and Russell on June 15, is the same object, and that it is more likely =20
that
it is #23728 USA 116.
The object in the MM 14.544 orbit would be #22251 USA 86.
According to the article in "Novosti Kosmonavtiki" published on SeeSat-L,
USA 86 was still in a standard orbit in Dec., and USA 116 in a LOWER =20
orbit.
The higher drift rate in this low orbit could account for the difference
between my 21:29 estimate and the JSR time 21:18 UT.
On the other hand, given a longer time frame, it could also compensate =20
for
the more eastward position of the high orbit, so this is by no means
hard evidence !
I will look for the old orbits, and try to compute when USA 116 could =20
have
moved to the standard orbit, and USA 86 to the HIGHER orbit.
------------------------------------------------------------
-- bjorn@tt-tech.se +46-8-59095783 (office)--
-- b_gimle@algonet.se +46-8-7428086 (home) --
-- 59.22371 N, 18.22857 E AND member of : --
-- http://www.algonet.se/~b_gimle seesat-l / seesat-d --
------------------------------------------------------------
Meet us at Eurosom 2 , Belgium, Oct. 19-20 !