Let's see if I can get the calculations right for XW-2E and XW-2F using NASA's Debris Assessment Software 2.0 software (Available here: http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/mitigate/das.html) and the latest solar flux data file from January 14, 2015.
The orbit parameters from the latest CelesTrak elements are:
Perigee: 528 km Apogee: 551 km Inclination: 97.4577 degrees R. A. of the Ascending Node: 272.9393 degrees Argument of Perigee: 247.5115 degrees
Now to calculate the Area to Mass ratio (we'll have to ignore the antennas here).
The XW-2E and XW-2F dimensions provided by CAMSAT are:
Dimensions: 110Lx110Wx110H mm Mass: 1.5kg
The cross sectional surface area of a cube is simply the area of one of the sides: 110x110 mm = 12100 mm^2 or 0.0121 m^2.
0.0121 m^2 / 1.5 kg = Area to Mass ratio of 0.008067 m^2 / kg
DAS 2.0 shows a calculated orbit lifetime of 8.487 years with those parameters.
Anyone care to correct any of this (or do the calculations for the other satellites) ? I am very much an amateur :)
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Tue, Sep 22, 2015 at 8:48 AM, Red Willoughby [email protected] wrote:
Any estimates on how long the CAMSATs may be in orbit?
Thanks,
Red KC4LE
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