NROL-20: photos reveal 61 ft fairing

From: Ted Molczan (seesat@rogers.com)
Date: Wed Oct 19 2005 - 13:18:56 EDT

  • Next message: Leo Barhorst: "Re: NROL-20: 48 ft fairing"

    Spaceflight Now has two good photos showing the fairing, which reveal an overall
    length of about 61 ft:
    
    http://www.spaceflightnow.com/titan/b26/051019mst.html
    
    That was one of the two scenarios I discussed earlier:
    
    http://satobs.org/seesat/Oct-2005/0180.html
    
    which I believe indicates a standard KH, but reverting to the type of fairing
    configuration and length used in the pre-2001 KH launches. Apparently, the
    fairing on the patch was not to actual scale.
    
    So, assuming on-time launch today (2005 Oct 19) at 18:04 UTC, I suggest this
    search orbit:
    
                                                            175 X 1029 km
    1 72001U          05292.79844637  .00807205  00000-0  10000-2 0    04
    2 72001  97.8760 354.5813 0611200 101.3444 265.7048 14.87728598    06
    
    The argument of perigee could differ somewhat. If the intention is to match that
    of the current occupant of the target plane (USA 129 / 96072A / 24680), then the
    argument of perigee would be 117.3 deg, and the mean anomaly would be 249.7492
    deg.
    
    Assuming that the above orbit is correct, then South Africa will have passes
    within a few hours of launch, followed some time later by New Zealand and
    Australia.
    
    Ted Molczan
    
    
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