Re: NROL-20: 48 ft fairing

From: satcom (john@satcom.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Wed Oct 19 2005 - 13:23:03 EDT

  • Next message: Leo Barhorst: "NRO L-20 launch"

    Ever since reading this article Ted 
    http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-083100a.html  I have kept a close eye 
    on mission patches and launch clothing.
    Its amazing what they reveal.
    
    In the case of the B-26 patches , I have had the main one ( on the right ) 
    sitting on my PC here since last February waiting for the launch to take 
    place.
    It will be interesting to see how the details on this patch compare to the 
    actual results!
    
    John
    
    
    
    
    > Very interesting indeed, John!
    >
    > The three bright stars on the right could be symbolic of the three 
    > KeyHoles
    > already in orbit. The one immediately to the right of the rocket would be 
    > USA
    > 129 (96072A / 24680), in the standard western KH plane. The next one 
    > further
    > right would be USA 164 (01044A / 26934), in the standard eastern KH plane. 
    > The
    > one on the farthest right would be USA 116 (95066A / 23728), which had 
    > been in
    > the eastern plane until replaced by USA 164, and which now is in a 
    > retirement
    > orbit, not far to the east of USA 164.
    >
    > The lone bright star to the left could be Misty 2 (99028A / 25744). Unlike 
    > the
    > KHs, its orbit is not sun-synchronous, so its plane moves in relation to 
    > the
    > others, so it makes sense to draw it far away from them.
    >
    > Then there is the rocket's fairing. The bottom of the fairing's boat tail
    > appears to be 134 pixels from the top of the image. The top of the cone 
    > appears
    > to be 75 pixels from the top, for a length of 59 pixels. The width of the
    > fairing is about 20 pixels. Given the fairing's known standard 16.67 ft
    > diameter, the height = 59 / 20 * 16.67 = 49 ft. That is close to the 
    > announced
    > 48 ft, which to me suggests a Misty.
    >
    > As a reality check, if the fairing was to have been 66 ft, as used for the
    > previous KH, USA 164, then the top of the cone should have been 55 pixels 
    > from
    > the top, which is a bit higher than the hyphen in the "T-IV" caption above 
    > the
    > rocket.
    >
    > Let's see what the photographs reveal.
    >
    > Ted Molczan
    >
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