Hi Nigel / Mark.

The lack of TLEs at celestrak is a little strange.

Nanosail-D is due to deploy from FASTSAT 7 days after launch. Its sail is large compared to the 1U cube and the drag at 650km will be high. If I read the info correctly, re-entry is expected in 70 - 120 days, which from 650k is amazingly short and very interesting. (How high can you orbit a satellite and still get it to deorbit in 25 years etc etc)

However....back to the lack of TLEs. Nanosail-D has a 70cm beacon which will last about 12 days and NASA invites reports. They also have TLEs and a map on the "Nanosail-D dashboard" so presumably it's not a security issue. Just a shame to do all the searching of sites when celestrack is usually so reliable.

TS Kelso has also made a few comments on his twitter pages.

David G0MRF

_http://twitter.com/TSKelso_ (http://twitter.com/TSKelso) _http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm_ (http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm)

In a message dated 24/11/2010 14:30:21 GMT Standard Time, nigel@ngunn.net writes:

It surpprises me that, 4 days after launch, Space Track appears to not have keps for the bird despite having given it (and the other payload components) int.designators on Sunday. We usually get keps first and designators/names some days later.