Re: An unpredicted flare by Iridium 4

From: Mike McCants (mmccants@prismnet.com)
Date: Sun Oct 28 2012 - 19:56:33 UTC

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    Alain Figer posted:
    
    >I serendipitously recorded a superb flare by Iridium 4
    
    It appears that the last orbital period correction for Iridium 4
    was about 80 days ago.  Of course that is too long ago.
    
    The following predictions are for a rather random lat/long:
    
    24792 Iridium 8      97 20A
     7 12 46  alt 53  azi 91
    24796 Iridium 4      97 20E
     7 20 19  alt 64  azi 92
    24968 Iridium 37     97 56D
     7 31  4  alt 80  azi 94
    
    This shows an interval of only 7 minutes 33 seconds from Iridium 8 to
    Iridium 4 and an interval of 10 minutes 45 seconds from Iridium 4 to
    Iridium 37.  The correct interval should be about 9 minutes 10 seconds.
    This matches the fact that Iridium 4 has gradually fallen into a lower
    orbit over the last 80 days due to atmospheric drag.
    
    Mike McCants
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