NOSS 3-4 approximate elements

From: Ted Molczan (sslmolcz@rogers.com)
Date: Mon Jun 18 2007 - 14:05:43 EDT

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    The payload elements (07027A and C) take advantage of Scott Campbell's very
    precise observations of 2007 Jun 18 UTC:
    
    http://satobs.org/seesat/Jun-2007/0233.html
    
    and Ed Cannon's most accurate position from his series of approximate discovery
    observations of 2007 Jun 16 UTC:
    
    31701 07 027A   8730 G 20070616022144200 17 25 1650638-104504 28 S
    71703 07 027C   8730 G 20070616022146400 17 25 1650638-104504 28 S
    
    The above are my reduction of Ed's observation of the appulse 20 Oph, as he
    described it (I used a miss-distance of 0.2 deg) :
    
    http://satobs.org/seesat/Jun-2007/0206.html
    
    NOSS 3-4 (A)     0.0  0.0  0.0  4.9 v
    1 31701U 07027A   07169.11767374  .00000020  00000-0  20000-4 0    08
    2 31701  62.6639  39.9716 0226981 161.9434 198.9828 13.65633615    01
    
    NOSS 3-4 (C)     0.0  0.0  0.0  4.9 v
    1 71703U 07027C   07169.11779601  .00000020  00000-0  20000-4 0    00
    2 71703  62.6639  39.9798 0227142 161.9434 198.9834 13.65568162    08
    
    The above elements agree with the faint trail in Babak A. Tafreshi's photos, as
    I discussed earlier:
    
    http://satobs.org/seesat/Jun-2007/0244.html
    
    The payload elements should be reasonably accurate, but are likely to be revised
    somewhat as additional precise observations are made. Observers should allow a
    couple of minutes prediction time uncertainty, and at least one degree of
    cross-track error. Also, keep in mind that the objects are manoeuvrable, and
    need to make some fairly large ones to achieve the intended orbit.
    
    I am much less confident in the Centaur elements, but they do agree well with
    the bright trail in Babak A. Tafreshi's photos, as I discussed earlier (see the
    above URL). Allow for at least 5 min prediction time uncertainty, and lots of
    cross-track error, especially on high elevation passes.
    
    NOSS 3-4 r       0.0  0.0  0.0  5.0 v
    1 31702U 07027B   07166.77441821  .00000020  00000-0  20000-4 0    04
    2 31702  63.5600  45.3807 0299881 161.5762 199.6425 13.68630000    00
    
    The mean motion is a guess, based on the NOSS 3-3 launch, hence my low
    confidence in these elements.
    
    The above epoch corresponds to the first ascending node after Mr. Tafreshi took
    his photos. The predicted time of the trails is in accord with that of the
    payload trails, per the above elements.
    
    Ted Molczan
    
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