Iridium 5 companion?
Bjoern Gimle (bjorn@tt-tech.se)
Tue, 14 Oct 1997 11:31:02 +0100
Sean Sullivan (tssulliv@unix.amherst.edu) wrote:
>IRIDFLAR predicted a zero-magnitude flare of Iridium 5 at 4:57:45 EDT.
>Using my usual program, I made pre-flare predictions and spotted the
>satellite at zenith and followed for about 90 sec before it became
>too faint. Later, the flare was on schedule, low in the north.
>As it started falling in magnitude, I went back to binoculars. When they
>reached my eye, and I tried to find the slow-moving satellite in the
>starfield, I picked up two moving objects.
Using the day's elsets from Alan, it is found to be Iridium 37.
Iridium 37 3.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 d 721 x 714 km
1 24966U 97056B 97286.22527347 -.04411628 00000-0 -12141+1 0 468
2 24966 86.4594 81.7327 0005119 45.6559 314.3335 14.52453137 2417
The group is still climbing, with 14.44 < MM <15.04
At the time of writing (09:30 UT Oct.14) Alan has:
Iridium 19 3.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 d 622 x 612 km
1 24965U 97056A 97286.91368782 -.04257817 00000-0 -57904+0 0 439
2 24965 86.6700 81.5522 0006781 175.9208 184.2045 14.83983792 2529
Iridium 37 3.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 d 739 x 737 km
1 24966U 97056B 97286.91583245 -.03365827 00000-0 -10427+1 0 477
2 24966 86.4240 81.4109 0001991 96.5680 263.5736 14.46244761 2519
Iridium 36 3.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 d 565 x 546 km
1 24967U 97056C 97286.86026856 -.00025969 00000-0 -18977-2 0 312
2 24967 86.7001 81.5440 0013565 175.4375 184.6996 15.03817436 2526
Iridium 35 3.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 d 733 x 727 km
1 24968U 97056D 97287.17387557 -.04567513 00000-0 -13443+1 0 586
2 24968 86.4290 81.2804 0004593 175.8529 184.2241 14.48636597 2558
Iridium 34 3.0 0.0 0.0 6.0 d 746 x 743 km
1 24969U 97056E 97287.18700506 -.03508140 00000-0 -11338+1 0 470
2 24969 86.4155 81.2710 0002347 81.5733 278.5653 14.44376982 2559
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