Hi,
With its relatively high area to mass ratio, ARISSat 1 is quite sensitive to space weather changes. In the past two weeks solar flux values have been relatively low, around 140, while they were around 180 in the weeks before. Also there have not been any magnetic storms.
As a result of this low solar activity, the expected decay date of ARISSat 1 has now slipped to the end of December. My current prediction is 27 December. But if solar activity stays at these low levels, the decay date will even shift into early January. So it is still too early to make any sensible predictions.
73, Nico PA0DLO
On 2011-11-18 15:05, Nico Janssen wrote:
Hi,
So far all my analyses of the evolution of the orbit of ARISSat 1 have resulted in a predicted decay date sometime in December 2011. Actually my current predicted decay date for this satellite is December 17. Obviously it depends very much on how solar activity develops in the coming weeks.
So now we have seen decay predictions ranging from December 2011 to April 2012. Let's see how we converge to the actual decay date.
73, Nico PA0DLO