Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!hutto!henry
From: henry@hutto.UUCP (Henry Melton)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: LDEF
Summary: How fast is it dropping?
Message-ID: <763@hutto.UUCP>
Date: 7 Nov 89 02:35:54 GMT
References: <3115@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> <1989Nov1.024354.6148@utzoo.uucp> <8635@microsoft.UUCP>
Organization: Melton System, Hutto, Texas
Lines: 14


I have been attempting to keep an 'eye' on LDEF using the sat data
posted by T. Kelso and using a couple of tracking programs; MACSAT and a
ported version of SEESAT.  The MACSAT program shows it at 381 km and not
dropping at all over the next couple of months.  SEESAT has it slightly
lower and dropping about a half a km per day.  Does anyone out there
have any better information?  I assume the decay rate will increase --
but how fast?  And at what altitude will the tumbling begin, (if we
don't catch it first)?


-- 
Henry Melton ...!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!hutto!henry
1-512-8463241 Rt.1 Box 274E Hutto,TX 78634