> Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 17:05:29 EDT > From: RobDonRe@aol.com > To: seesat-l@blackadder.lmsal.com > > I recently watched a taped documentary in which it was mentioned that there > were some 70 iridium satellites in orbit, and that 13 had failed. The date of > this documentary is in question. Will someone please answer the following for Hi Rob, I would agree with you that the date of the documentary is questionable by this figure alone ... > me. > 1: How many Iridium satellites are in orbit now? On the basis of the available TLE's from NASA and others, the current number is 87 ... > 2: Are they numbered in sequence? Yes they are but I have read somewhere that there is a proposal/plan to start using earlier numbers of failed satellites. For example, the most recently failed Iridium (#48) ... there is also a clean break in the 70-series from what I recall ... > 3: How many are still operational at this time? It is my understanding that plans for 11 satellites in each of the six predesigned orbital planes has yet to materialize. As a result, the number of operational ones would seem to be less than 66. However, note that a number of those already in orbit are not stable (ex. #2, #9, #20, #69 and #72 ... I think #14 is also part of the group) and a further number have yet to reach operational orbits. I am sure experts here will have further details with respect to the above as my experience with Iridiums is very recent. Anthony. > Thanks all, > R. Morgan > Carson City, Nevada (USA) > 39deg 11min N -119deg 45min W el: 1433m(4700ft) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Jun 20 2001 - 14:22:23 PDT