The newly launched Compass 2 satellite (06019C / 29159) has a problem with stabilization. It is intended to be 3-axis stabilized, but may be rotating. Radio satellite observers have been monitoring the satellite on 137.350 MHz, and reporting their results on HearSat-L. Their posts are archived here, and are well worth reading: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/hearsat/2006-May/thread.html They have heard the satellite on 137.350 MHz in short bursts, and an emerging line of speculation is that the bursts are a manifestation of the satellite's rotation: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/hearsat/2006-May/001378.html Visual observers may be able to add data regarding the rate of any rotation. Compass 2 currently is visible in the Southern Hemisphere. The best passes occur in the evening; morning passes are too near twilight. I do not have precise dimensions, but from drawings I estimate that its bus is approx 1 m x 0.5 m x 0.5 m, from which I estimate its standard magnitude is about 9. Given its 400 km altitude, it may reach mag 7 on a favourable pass. Ted Molczan ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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