On 10/29/2016 02:13, John Mac wrote:
I am curious to know why all Satelite TLE data can't be found in the few databases available, the obvious ones being OOREAS, Aeneas and a few others..
A couple of the guys provide the data....but still interested to know why, and is this going to be a continuing trend...?
If the satellite was a secondary payload on a classified launch (e.g. one where the primary payload was a satellite for the Department of Defence or the National Reconnaissance Office), then the TLEs for all the payloads are not published in the open on Space-Track or Celestrak. The satellite operators will receive TLEs for their satellite and they may choose to release that information.
O/OREOS launched with the DoD mission STPSAT-2, also known as USA 217. Aeneas launched with the NRO mission NROL-36. Even AO-85 (FOX-1A) has this problem because it launched on the same Atlas V rocket as AEHF-3 (USA 246) for the US Air Force; however, AMSAT-NA releases AO-85's TLE on their website.
I expect the trend to continue in the near term for missions that fly with US government military/reconnaissance satellites. If the mission is on deployed from a commercial launch or from the International Space Station, then the TLEs will get published.
Regards, -Daniel VA3KKZ