STS-86 - Mir Obs
Philip Chien (kc4yer@amsat.org)
Fri, 3 Oct 1997 21:49:31 -0400
sbolton@nbnet.nb.ca (sbolton) said:
>
>Observed STS-86 and Mir at 23:25 UT on Oct 3.
>Mir leading
hmm - are people saying this *just* to annoy me???
The shuttle usually makes a flyaround of Mir after undocking, with the
exception of the STS-84 mission. I don't know if a flyaround is planned
for STS-89, it would probably depend on the success of the Spektr repairs.
During the flyarounds Mir and the shuttle are within 400 ft. of each other
- so for visual observers they'll appear to be a single object. (unless
you've got a *REALLY* big telescope).
The shuttle performs a small separation burn when it finishes its flyaround
at the lowest point (e.g. when it's beneath Mir).
For obvious reasons the shuttle's on its way home, so it wants to be in a
lower orbit.
Lower orbits are _faster_ orbits, hence whenever you see the shuttle after
it's departed Mir the shuttle will ALWAYS be in front!!!!!!!!
(possible exception - STS-91 if they remain in orbit long enough to 'lap'
Mir for their AMS studies).
I tried to spot the shuttle and Mir as separate objects but it was an
extremely marginal pass in this area so it isn't surprising that I wasn't
successful.
Philip Chien [M1959.05.31/31.145//KC4YER@amsat.org]