Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site decwrl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!prls!amdimage!amdcad!decwrl!fisher@wsgate.DEC (Burns Fisher, MRO3-1/E13, DTN 231-4108.)
From: fisher@wsgate.DEC (Burns Fisher, MRO3-1/E13, DTN 231-4108.)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Spy satellite reentry?
Message-ID: <3654@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-Aug-85 10:20:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.3654
Posted: Thu Aug 15 10:20:13 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 19-Aug-85 20:55:14 EDT
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: Digital Equipment Corp., Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 25

<>

Has anyone heard of a polar orbiting satellite (spy, weather, etc) reentry
about 2345 12-AUG-85 EDT?  (0445 13-AUG UT???)  I was out looking for
Perseids meteors when I saw what appeared to be a very large meteor going
approx. South to North.  It was much brighter than Jupiter, which was also
visible.  It left a noticable trail behind it for several seconds, it covered
about 45 degrees of arc in 3 to 5 seconds, and I heard nothing.  There appeared
to be pieces breaking off, although I would not swear to this.

At first I thought it was just an unusually large meteor, but was I saw more
"real" meteors in the next 15-20 minutes, I began to wonder.  The big one
was not going anywhere near a radial direction from Perseus, while the others 
were to some extent.  The S-N direction made me think it might be a polar 
orbitting satellite, and the fact that it would reenter made me think it would 
be in a fairly low orbit, and thus probably a spy satellite.

Any comments or ideas?

Burns


	UUCP:	... {decvax|allegra|ucbvax}!decwrl!rhea!dvinci!fisher

	ARPA:	fisher%dvinci.dec@decwrl.ARPA