Xref: utzoo rec.ham-radio:7154 sci.space.shuttle:2122
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!whuts!homxb!hotps!ka2qhd!kd2bd
From: kd2bd@ka2qhd.UUCP ( Wall Township NJ)
Newsgroups: rec.ham-radio,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Predictions for viewing ATLANTIS
Keywords: STS-27 WILL be visible over our area!
Message-ID: <699@ka2qhd.UUCP>
Date: 4 Dec 88 03:01:17 GMT
Organization: ka2qhd Ocean, NJ
Lines: 53




Well, Shuttle ATLANTIS was launched on Friday morning shortly after
9:30 AM EST on a Department of Defense mission. One of the goals of
this mission will be to deploy a KH-12 Soviet spy satellite into an
eliptical orbit that will allow it to cover 80% of the Soviet Union.

There are many who believe that ATLANTIS will be visible over North
America on this flight. Since it is a DoD mission, no orbital data
has been made available to the public.

Orbital data for ATLANTIS has been formulated here at KD2BD.
The data is based solely on assumptions and knowing the time of launch.
The following data is believed to closely match the orbit of ATLANTIS:

ORBITAL INCLINATION    : 57 Degrees
ORBITAL ALTITUDE       : 340 Kilometers
NODAL PERIOD           : 91.2 minutes/orbit
LONGITUDINAL INCREMENT : 23.15 degrees west/orbit
SEMI-MAJOR AXIS        : 6711 Kilometers
ORBITAL VELOCITY       : 17,234 miles/hour
REFERENCE ORBIT        : 14:15 UTC at 100 degrees west (Orbit 0)

From this information, the following orbital predictions have been made.
These are the times when I believe ATLANTIS will be visible over our area.

On Sunday 04Dec88: From 4:25 -to- 4:40 PM. It will rise in the Northwest,
                   pass towards the south, and set towards the Southeast.
On Monday 05Dec88: From 4:45 -to- 5:05 PM. It will rise in the West-Northwest,
                   pass towards the south, and set towards the South-Southeast.

The KH-12 spy satellite is rumored to be quite large and could also be
visible as it is deployed from ATLANTIS. This could make for SPECTACULAR
viewing if the weather is clear.

If visible, ATLANTIS will appear as a fast moving "star" growing in brilliance
as it moves from West to East. It will be the brightest object in the
sky, and can be seen without the aid of a telescope or binoculars.

I recommend allowing several minutes (+/-) from the above predictions to allow
for small errors. The directions may be different (it may cross the North,
rather than the South, BUT IT WILL BE VISIBLE ON THE DAYS LISTED).

If you succeed in seeing ATLANTIS, drop me a note on NN2Z-4. I would
appreciate hearing about your observations. Don't forget to include the
day(s) and time(s) you viewed the Shuttle.

Good Luck and 73!   de John  KD2BD @ NN2Z

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