For anyone planning to conduct a planar search of the entire orbit of USA 129 (96072A / 24680), I offer the following search elset: USA 129 search 15.0 3.0 0.0 5.3 v 1 72001U 03354.15413194 .00025000 00000-0 26721-3 0 04 2 72001 97.7982 53.8575 0523500 115.8208 0.0000 14.78000000 07 This elset is designed not to be predictive, but to provide an aim-point that is about mid way between the likely extremes, so that the object is most likely to pass within one's search field of view. It assumes a manoeuvre at the perigee mid way between the last sighting and first non-sighting, and an apogee mid way between the likely extremes. My earlier search orbits spanned the entire likely range of possibilities, based on historical data. If it is in any of those orbits, then it should pass within about 2 degrees of a planar search based upon the above elset. Since there are many objects in similar orbits, it might be best to log all likely objects seen, instead of following the first one seen. Another useful strategy would be to pre-identify interlopers at all planned aim-points. (Another task that could be automated through software. A derivative of IDSat, that could process a list of aim-points/times seems like a good approach.) Happy hunting! Ted Molczan ----------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from SeeSat-L, send a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@satobs.org List archived at http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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