Ariane 4 Launch Fuel Dump?

From: Ted A. Nichols II (tanichols@peoplepc.com)
Date: Fri May 03 2002 - 22:11:37 EDT


Greetings all,

I'm looking for a confirmation of a possible fuel dump performed by the
Ariane 4 Rocket launching Spot 5.

A group of 10 Astronomical Society of Harrisburg members looked for the
launch of the Ariane 4 Spot 5.. We didn't see it between 9:41 and 9:49 and
returned to the 17" Classical Cassegrain telescope.

However between 9:50 and 9:55 we didn't get an exact time, near the head of
Draco a patch of cloudiness/nebulosity appeared out of nowhere as a small
compact area, then it spread out and dissipated and remained visible until
about 9:56. Through binoculars several members saw a satellite moving
through this nebulosity. I'm pretty sure this was a fuel dump by the Ariane.
I'm nearly 100% sure this is what we saw because it followed the same
trajectory if you extended where burnout occured. So I'm looking for a
confirmation. The skies were clear in this region of the sky.

Was this a fuel dump performed by the Ariane?

Please let me know,
Ted A. Nichols II
Astronomical Society of Harrisburg President
Edward L. Naylor Observatory - Lewisberry, PA
Geodetic location: 76hours 53min 4secs - 40degrees 8mins 54 secs
Elevation 190M


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