RE: unknown flashing high object
Mike McCants (mike@comshare.com)
Mon, 30 Oct 1995 16:26:21 -0600
I checked all high objects in Allen Thomson's file of Oct. 29, 1995,
and did not find anything that matched.
I generated elements that matched the observations and came up with:
1 99999U 95298.51422289 0.00000001 00000-0 73609-3 0 03
2 99999 23.0000 352.4658 7000000 245.0000 115.0000 2.00000000 02
There are a number of objects currently in similar transfer orbits.
(There are other possible orbits, but I consider something like this to be
the most likely.)
(The uncertainty in the 720 minute period could be as large as 72 minutes.)
This elset gives the following prediction:
*** 95 Oct 25 Wed evening *** Times are UT ***
U Mag Hgt Alt Azi Hrs Min R A Dec Range
356 8.4 7324 17 191 21 25 23 5.9 -20.8 9441
359 8.3 7975 21 189 21 30 23 22.2 -18.0 9950
3 8.3 8608 23 187 21 35 23 36.3 -15.5 10464
6 8.3 9224 26 185 21 40 23 48.8 -13.3 10977
8 8.3 9821 28 183 21 45 24 0.0 -11.3 11485
I adjusted the magnitude to be what I would expect for a
Centaur Rk. I would assume this is a Centaur from a classified
launch of a large payload into a geosynchronous orbit.
(Height and range are in miles.)
Mike McCants
mike@comshare.com