> Is this an indication of a new spacecraft maneuvering into the proper orbit? > Or will this object behave more like TRMM where it's orbit will be boosted > often - making long term predictions inaccurate? This is a "fifth generation" photoreconnaissance satellite of a class which has been flying since the end of 1982. The more recent flights manoeuvre to ~240-300 km orbits with regular boosts to this orbit after orbital decay reduces altitude. For specific targets the satellites might briefly manoeuvre to lower/higher orbits as required. Mission duration is about a year. Phillip Clark --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Phillip S Clark 22 Winterbourne Close Molniya Space Consultancy Hastings Compiler/Publisher, Worldwide Satellite Launches E Sussex TN34 1XG U.K. Specialist in "space archeology" - the older and more obscure the more interesting it is ! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 : Fri May 19 2000 - 10:48:08 PDT