X-37B OTV 2-1 is scheduled for launch from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas V-501, on 2011 Mar 04, between 20:39 UTC and 22:39 UTC. The following search elements are based on the initial orbit of OTV 1-1, for launch at the start, middle and end of the launch period. T0=20:39 UTC 400 X 423 km 1 70401U 11063.90802626 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 09 2 70401 39.9849 259.3037 0016616 341.1195 18.8998 15.52662485 06 T0=21:39 UTC 400 X 423 km 1 70402U 11063.94969293 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 08 2 70402 39.9849 274.3448 0016616 341.1195 18.8998 15.52662485 00 T0=22:39 UTC 400 X 423 km 1 70403U 11063.99135959 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 08 2 70403 39.9849 289.3858 0016616 341.1195 18.8998 15.52662485 02 The launch vehicle has considerable excess performance for this payload, so the actual orbit could be quite different, more likely in altitude than in inclination, I suspect. I have not made an exhaustive evaluation of visibility windows, but it appears that only the southern hemisphere will have initial visibility; specifically the 70402 and 70403 elsets reveal morning visibility. The OTV's standard visual magnitude is 4.2 (1000 km range, 90 deg phase angle). Ted Molczan _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l
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