Re: Russia to make satellite orbit catalogue public?

From: Marco Langbroek via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2016 20:06:12 +0200
Op 22-6-2016 om 23:11 schreef Greg Roberts via Seesat-l:
> This is something I would welcome . It may make the amateur satellite trackers
> that track classified satellites somewhat redundant  but I am sure we can find
> some aspect of tracking to continue what we have done for decades now.


In my opinion continued tracking of "classified" objects by our independent 
network will remain vital.

In the recent past, it has become clear that the Russian MoD is not beyond 
disseminating false information if it suits their propaganda purpose. I would 
therefore not per sé trust Russian data face value. Our independent tracking 
remains vital as a reality check.

In the context of the shootdown of flight MH17 over the Ukraine two years ago, 
and the propaganda and disinformation war involved, the Russian MoD has publicly 
made claims about purported US KH-11 and STSS overflights over the area at 
certain pertinent times. From our own independent tracking data, it is clear 
that these claims were false: the US satellites were not over the area at the 
times the Russians claimed they were.

They have claimed for example that there was an STSS satellite over the area at 
the time of the shootdown: while in reality the STSS satellites were all well 
away from the Ukraine at that time.

Our independent tracking therefore remains vital as a reality check, in my 
opinion, and should not be abandoned in the case that Russia starts to make 
tracking data publicly available.

- Marco


-----
Dr Marco Langbroek  -  SatTrackCam Leiden, the Netherlands.
e-mail: sattrackcam_at_langbroek.org

Station (b)log: http://sattrackcam.blogspot.com
Twitter: _at_Marco_Langbroek
-----
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Received on Thu Jun 23 2016 - 13:07:05 UTC

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