JAXA provides some information on the launch trajectory (and on the rendezvous and reentry procedures) on http://www.jaxa.jp/countdown/h2bf1/index_e.html Rather than launching directly into the ISS orbit plane they first fly out of Tanegashima on an azimuth of 108.5 degrees (rather than 134) before turning further south. I think they use the same azimuth for sun-synchronous launches and it has to do with range safety and protecting important fishing grounds (and costs more energy). They state that HTV insertion is 15 min 11 sec after liftoff at an altitude of 287 km. The map of the launch trajectory suggests the insertion point to be at 3.3 North, 157.4 East. Assuming a launch at 17:01:46 UTC, 10-SEP-09 and taking the insertion point and time (rather than the launch time and the Tanegashima coordinates) to attach the 200 km x 300 km, 51.7 degree orbit I get the following VERY rough elset HTV Injection 1 25544 98067A 09253.72021991 0.00006405 00000-0 48333-4 0 3 2 25544 51.6614 229.1048 0075409 93.8163 82.0083 16.07734678 6 I do hope somebody else has better information and that Spacetrack comes up with accurate elements shortly after launch. Looks like I might have a chance to see HTV on its very first orbit! Gerhard HOLTKAMP Darmstadt, Germany ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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