Decay watch: Iridium 79 postscript

From: Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Date: Wed Nov 29 2000 - 15:19:06 PST

  • Next message: Russell: "NOV29.OBS"

    Since my previous posting, I notice that my earlier long-lost message
    has hit the list. I also note that SpaceCom has posted its final notice
    for #25470 = Iridium 79. The final analyses for this are then...
    
    Source   Prediction made    Predicted decay at      Latitude Longitude
                   UTC                UTC                  deg      deg
    SpaceCom   Nov 29 19:57     Nov 29 09:36 +-38m       27.5 N    80.3 E
    SatEvo     Nov 29 19:35     Nov 29 09:23 -10+25m      0.0      79.8 E
    
    As my updated Decay watch page states...
    
    The final elset is very close indeed to the prediction I posted at 07:30
    UTC, based on elsets to 05:01 - it showed the object running only 0.3
    sec late. I estimate that this decayed near the northbound equator
    crossing at the end of this orbit just before passing over Colombo, Sri
    Lanka. It might have survived a little longer, but I doubt whether it
    could have still been in orbit to sweep southwards across the USA from
    western Montana at 09:55 UTC to Phoenix, Arizona, at 09:58. SpaceCom's
    final notice shows it decaying northbound over N India, only a little
    beyond my decay estimate.
    
    
    Alan
    -- 
    Alan Pickup / COSPAR 2707:  55d53m48.7s N   3d11m51.2s W      156m asl
    Edinburgh  / SatEvo & elsets:    http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/
    Scotland  / Decay Watch: http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/dkwatch/
             *
    
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