Iridium: plane and object positions for the constellation
Walter Nissen (dk058@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Wed, 2 Jun 1999 08:52:29 -0400 (EDT)
With continuing disagreement about the names for the Iridia among those
who are most prominent in elset distribution, I have been reluctant to
push very hard for a resolution which would favor the observer, though
such a result would be very desirable; and have left idle the proposals I
made for a nomenclature based on the Iridial designations so kindly
provided by Paul Maley.
Rather, under the influence of inertia, I have continued to update the
table I prepared, using my own plane and object designations. The latest
version is appended to the end of this message. In this table, the 66
operating objects form a rectangle at the top. 11 objects in each of 6
planes form 6 regular undecagons. Planes, denoted P0 thru P5, follow
planes across the sky in numerical order, the order shown. Objects follow
objects across the sky in numerical order, the order shown (the A objects
follow 9 and precede 0). The B, C, etc., objects are (presumably) spares
for possible future use. The R objects are replacements of former
occupants. The S, T, etc., are tumblers, presumed to be failed objects.
P4?? 2 is perhaps a spare migrating to another plane. Columnar
misalignment to the left indicates objects moving out of plane.
This table is very convenient for observers who wish to know the order of
passage of objects. E.g., this can be useful in seeking out the edges of
accuracy in the glint prediction programs. Sometimes glints are brighter
or fainter than predicted. If you have only 1 or 2 glint predictions and
you want to know which objects precede or follow, and thus may be readily
observed, a glance at the table will tell you.
Please, please beware of the confusion caused by the use of the same
object numbers to refer to different objects! Whenever there is any
possibility of confusion, and pending general adoption of one of the
consistent nomenclatures I have proposed, I always try to provide the
5-digit catalog number and the COSPAR ID for any object, and much
appreciate it when others do the same.
I'm sure most of you have read the various comments posted here on
observations of Ir P4 U 85. An additional fact which tends to identify
her as a failed object can be seen by sorting the elsets by mean motion.
They sort into a number of bands. Ir P4 U is in the lowest band where all
her immediate "neighbors" are tumblers. Above the lowest band is one of
spares; above that one of tumblers; above that the band of operating
satellites; and finally, above that a band with just one object, Ir P1B?
69, which was formerly Ir P15.
On the financial front, the latest I've heard is that Iridium has received
another 30-day extension to restructure its debt and try to avoid
bankruptcy.
Of the 11 tumblers, 2 are among the 10 Iridia launched by Long March,
being 20%; 3 are among 21 launched by Proton, 14%; and 6 are among 55
launched by Delta (11%+).
Cheers.
Walter Nissen dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu
-81.8637, 41.3735, 256m elevation
---
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton
---
P00 64 P10 46* P20 32 P30 5 P40 9* P50 39
P01 65 P11 47 P21 33 P31 6 P41 10* P51 80
P02 66 P12R 11A P22 57 P32 7 P42 54* P52 17
P03 67 P13 49 P23 58 P33 8 P43 12 P53 15
P04 68 P14 26 P24 59 P34 4 P44 13 P54 81
P05 74 P15R 3 P25 60 P35 37* P45R 83 P55 38
P06 72 P16 22 P26 55 P36 61 P46 16 P56 41
P07R 75 P17 23 P27 28 P37 19 P47 50* P57 43
P08 70 P18 76 P28 29 P38 34 P48 56 P58 18*
P09 62 P19 25 P29 30 P39 35* P49 52* P59 42
P0A 63 P1A 45 P2A 31 P3A 36 P4A 53* P5A 40
P0C? 73 P1B? 69 P3 B 51 P4 B 86 P5 B 77
P1 D 20A P4 C 84 P5 C 82
P1 S 24* P2 S 27 P4 S 11 P5 S 20*
P1 T 71 P4 T 14 P5 T 44
P1 U 48 P4 U 85 P5 U 21
P5 V 79 <--------------<
P4 ?? 2 <----------------<
* numbers have been confused, resolution uncertain
OIG
cat # COSPAR McCants previous
24792 97-20A D 8 Ir P33
24793 97-20B D 7 Ir P32
24794 97-20C D 6 Ir P31
24795 97-20D D 5 Ir P30
24796 97-20E D 4 Ir P34
24836 97-30A P 14 tum Ir P4 T P45
24837 97-30B P 12 Ir P43
24838 97-30C P 10 9 Ir P40
24839 97-30D P 9 10 Ir P41
24840 97-30E P 13 Ir P44
24841 97-30F P 16 Ir P46
24842 97-30G P 11 tum Ir P4 S
24869 97-34A D 15 Ir P53
24870 97-34B D 17 Ir P52
24871 97-34C D 18 20 tum Ir P5 S
24872 97-34D D 20 18 Ir P58
24873 97-34E D 21 tum Ir P5 U
24903 97-43A D 26 Ir P14
24904 97-43B D 25 Ir P19
24905 97-43C D 24 46 Ir P10
24906 97-43D D 23 Ir P17
24907 97-43E D 22 Ir P16
24925 97-48A L MFS-Sim1
24926 97-48B L MFS-Sim2
24944 97-51A P 29 Ir P28
24945 97-51B P 32 Ir P20
24946 97-51C P 33 Ir P21
24947 97-51D P 27 tum Ir P2 S
24948 97-51E P 28 Ir P27
24949 97-51F P 30 Ir P29
24950 97-51G P 31 Ir P2A
24965 97-56A D 19 Ir P37
24966 97-56B D 37 35 Ir P39
24967 97-56C D 36 Ir P3A
24968 97-56D D 35 37 Ir P35
24969 97-56E D 34 Ir P38
25039 97-69A D 43 Ir P57
25040 97-69B D 41 Ir P56
25041 97-69C D 40 Ir P5A
25042 97-69D D 39 Ir P50
25043 97-69E D 38 Ir P55
25077 97-77A L 42 Ir P59
25078 97-77B L 44 tum Ir P5 T
25104 97-82A D 45 Ir P1A
25105 97-82B D 46 24 tum Ir P1 S
25106 97-82C D 47 Ir P11
25107 97-82D D 48 tum Ir P1 U P12
25108 97-82E D 49 Ir P13
25169 98-10A D 50 52 Ir P49
25170 98-10B D 56 Ir P48
25171 98-10C D 52 54 Ir P42
25172 98-10D D 53 50 Ir P47
25173 98-10E D 54 53 Ir P4A
25262 98-18A L 51 Ir P3 B
25263 98-18B L 61 Ir P36
25272 98-19A D 55 Ir P26
25273 98-19B D 57 Ir P22
25274 98-19C D 58 Ir P23
25275 98-19D D 59 Ir P24
25276 98-19E D 60 Ir P25
25285 98-21A P 62 Ir P09
25286 98-21B P 63 Ir P0A
25287 98-21C P 64 Ir P00
25288 98-21D P 65 Ir P01
25289 98-21E P 66 Ir P02
25290 98-21F P 67 Ir P03
25291 98-21G P 68 Ir P04
25319 98-26A L 69 Ir P1B? P15
25320 98-26B L 71 tum Ir P1 T
25342 98-32A D 70 Ir P08
25343 98-32B D 72 Ir P06
25344 98-32C D 73 Ir P0C? P07
25345 98-32D D 74 Ir P05
25346 98-32E D 75 Ir P07R P0 B
25431 98-48A L 03 3 Ir P15R
25432 98-48B L 76 Ir P18
25467 98-51A D 82 Ir P5 C
25468 98-51B D 81 Ir P54
25469 98-51C D 80 Ir P51
25470 98-51D D 79 tum Ir P5 V
25471 98-51E D 77 Ir P5 B
25527 98-66A D 2 Ir P4??
25528 98-66B D 86 Ir P4 B
25529 98-66C D 85 /?/ Ir P4 U
25530 98-66D D 84 Ir P4 C
25531 98-66E D 83 Ir P45R
25577 98-74A L 11A Ir P12R P1 C
25578 98-74B L 20A Ir P1 D
^
L______ Launch vehicle