NOSS 3-2 satellites have manoeuvred

From: Ted Molczan (molczan@rogers.com)
Date: Sun Mar 28 2004 - 13:41:05 EST

  • Next message: Ted Molczan: "RE: NOSS 3-2 satellites have manoeuvred"

    The NOSS 3-2 satellite formation, launched 2003 Dec 02 UTC, has manoeuvred to
    match the mean motion of other active NOSS formations. 
    
    This had been expected, based on the behaviour of NOSS 3-1 satellites, which
    manoeuvred to match the orbits of active NOSS many months after their launch. I
    suspect that the long delay before making those manoeuvres is to allow the
    satellites to drift to some location in their orbital plane that optimizes the
    coverage of the overall constellation of active NOSS.
    
    To learn about the NOSS satellites, please visit the following web page:
    
    http://www.satobs.org/noss.html
    
    The final pre-manoeuvre observations were made late on 2004 Mar 23 UTC, at which
    time the satellites were in the falling orbits:
    
    NOSS 3-2 (A)     0.0  0.0  0.0  4.9 v
    1 28095U 03054A   04083.88223683  .00000016  00000-0  28392-4 0    09
    2 28095  63.4375  17.4791 0121075 179.6345 180.4789 13.40600689    08
    
    NOSS 3-2 (C)     0.0  0.0  0.0  4.9 v
    1 28097U 03054C   04083.88232420  .00000015  00000-0  25798-4 0    06
    2 28097  63.4384  17.6709 0121431 179.5223 180.5939 13.40600697    08
    
    The first indication of their manoeuvres came late on 2004 Mar 24 UTC, when
    Peter Wakelin observed both running about 1 s late relative the above elements.
    The following night, Bruce MacDonald observed both running about 10 s late. 
    
    I have derived the following estimated elements from their observations:
    
    1 28095U 03054A   04085.89638759  .00000016  00000-0  28392-4 0    06
    2 28095  63.4375  12.3530 0121075 179.6246 180.4891 13.40453000    00
    
    1 28097U 03054C   04085.89647823  .00000015  00000-0  25798-4 0    06
    2 28097  63.4384  12.5448 0121431 179.5120 180.6045 13.40453000    01
    
    I expect these to be accurate to within about 10 s over the next few nights.
    
    Ted Molczan
    
    
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