Shuttle ISS this morning

From: Oscar (ocleme@attcanada.ca)
Date: Mon Sep 18 2000 - 14:28:39 PDT

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    I observed the Shuttle and the ISS this morning from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada moving together approximately 4 degrees apart. This was 7 hrs after the undocking. According to live NASA TV the two vehicles were 26 miles apart from each other.The Shuttle was on orbit 155. When the Shuttle separates away from the station, it fires thrusters to slow it down dropping it into a lower orbit. Because a lower orbit is less distance around the earth,  the shuttle moves ahead of the Station. The Shuttle was the leader of the two satellites this morning. From here the Station was the brighter of the two, but this depends on where one observes from and the attitude of the shuttle. It was truly a beautiful morning and a memorable sight.
            As I write this, 5:00pm EST, Mon. Sept. 18th,  the Shuttle and ISS are 88 Miles apart and separating 8 miles each orbit. They will be visible twice again tomorrow morning on consecutive orbits over N.E. U.S. and Eastern Canada. Check Heavens-Above for times.
                                                                                                                       Oscar Clement 
                                                                                                                     (newbee on the list)
    
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