Decay watch: September 2
Alan Pickup (alan@wingar.demon.co.uk)
Thu, 2 Sep 1999 21:47:03 +0100
One again I have updated my Decay Watch page at
http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/dkwatch/
The Raguda 104 aux motor, #25761, decayed quite close to the predicted
schedule. I put its decay at September 2 04:17 UTC +-40m. This was 2
minutes earlier than SpaceCom's estimate and both of us put it over the
N Pacific, S of the Aleutians. If it continued in orbit it would have
crossed the N California coast at 04:26, passed ~300 km NE of San
Francisco at 04:27 and a similar distance SW of Austin, Texas, at 04:32.
I have an unconfirmed report (via Jim Varney) of a possible re-entry
sighting from the Sacramento area, but no time or direction.
The decay of the Afristar Mini-Spelda, #25518, has moved earlier (and
closer to SpaceCom's estimate). I now have this at September 4 01:55 UTC
+-9h.
Alan
--
Alan Pickup | COSPAR 2707: 55d53m48.7s N 3d11m51.2s W 156m asl
Edinburgh | Tel: +44 (0)131 477 9144 Fax: +44 (0)870 0520750
Scotland | SatEvo page: http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/