Lewis decay
Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 28 Sep 1997 22:09:29 +0100
The final elsets for Lewis are:
Lewis 160 x 145 km
1 24909U 97044A 97271.39753472 .13937589 27464-5 35667-3 0 1551
2 24909 97.5379 169.9050 0010985 195.0507 249.3045 16.45069874 5761
Lewis 134 x 124 km
1 24909U 97044A 97271.44411130 .76962935 35391-5 50335-3 0 1569
2 24909 97.5354 169.9687 0007458 214.6086 146.2240 16.53904023 5777
Lewis 143 x 124 km
1 24909U 97044A 97271.44398517 .34163710 27542-5 26357-3 0 1577
2 24909 97.5567 169.9361 0014370 167.9082 192.3664 16.52167013 5770
USSPACECOM suggest that re-entry came on the latter orbit at about 11:58
UTC near longitude 10 deg E, latitude 30 deg S, though they admit to
some uncertainty.
My SatEvo evolution has difficulty keeping it in orbit as far around
this final orbit as this - if it did survive the northbound equator
crossing at about 10:39, I would choose re-entry near the following
southbound crossing at 11:23 at longitude 172 deg E. The latter is also
close to the perigee point.
Alan
--
Alan Pickup | COSPAR site 2707: 55d53m48.7s N 3d11m51.2s W 156m asl
Edinburgh | Home: alan@wingar.demon.co.uk +44 (0)131 477 9144
Scotland | SatEvo satellite page: http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/