Hello all,
Has anyone else noticed that CAS-4A and -4B appear to be orbiting nearly on top of each other today?
At first, I thought it was an odd font artifact when I looked at the world map view. Nope, they're basically on top of one another.
--- Zach N0ZGO
They were launched on the same mission and have stayed pretty close together as I believe the two host satellites are identical, though the distance does vary some.
73,
Paul, N8HM
On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 2:49 PM Zach Metzinger zmetzing@pobox.com wrote:
Hello all,
Has anyone else noticed that CAS-4A and -4B appear to be orbiting nearly on top of each other today?
At first, I thought it was an odd font artifact when I looked at the world map view. Nope, they're basically on top of one another.
--- Zach N0ZGO
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
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On 01/04/21 13:51, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
They were launched on the same mission and have stayed pretty close together as I believe the two host satellites are identical, though the distance does vary some.
Hello Paul,
Yeah, I figured they were part of the same launch, but I've never seen them orbiting so identically for a long period like this. Perhaps the host satellites have been re-tasked (moved) to this new configuration?
--- Zach N0ZGO
Possibly. I doubt we'll ever know exactly what Zhuhai-1 01A and Zhuhai-1 01B are actually up to :)
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/zhuhai-1_ovs-1.htm
73,
Paul. N8HM
On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 2:56 PM Zach Metzinger zmetzing@pobox.com wrote:
On 01/04/21 13:51, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
They were launched on the same mission and have stayed pretty close together as I believe the two host satellites are identical, though the distance does vary some.
Hello Paul,
Yeah, I figured they were part of the same launch, but I've never seen them orbiting so identically for a long period like this. Perhaps the host satellites have been re-tasked (moved) to this new configuration?
--- Zach N0ZGO
There are suspicions that they were very active during the earlymorning hours of November 4th. ;o) -BL On Monday, January 4, 2021, 02:59:12 PM EST, Paul Stoetzer n8hm@arrl.net wrote:
Possibly. I doubt we'll ever know exactly what Zhuhai-1 01A and Zhuhai-1 01B are actually up to :)
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/zhuhai-1_ovs-1.htm
73,
Paul. N8HM
On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 2:56 PM Zach Metzinger zmetzing@pobox.com wrote:
On 01/04/21 13:51, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
They were launched on the same mission and have stayed pretty close together as I believe the two host satellites are identical, though the distance does vary some.
Hello Paul,
Yeah, I figured they were part of the same launch, but I've never seen them orbiting so identically for a long period like this. Perhaps the host satellites have been re-tasked (moved) to this new configuration?
--- Zach N0ZGO
-----------------------------------------------------------
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View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
Looks like a rendezvous.
73 Pedro CU2ZG
Sent from my iPhone
On 4 Jan 2021, at 21:01, Bob Liddy (K8BL) k8bl@ameritech.net wrote:
There are suspicions that they were very active during the early morning hours of November 4th. ;o) -BL
On Monday, January 4, 2021, 02:59:12 PM EST, Paul Stoetzer n8hm@arrl.net wrote:
Possibly. I doubt we'll ever know exactly what Zhuhai-1 01A and Zhuhai-1 01B are actually up to :)
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/zhuhai-1_ovs-1.htm
73,
Paul. N8HM
On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 2:56 PM Zach Metzinger zmetzing@pobox.com wrote:
On 01/04/21 13:51, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
They were launched on the same mission and have stayed pretty close together as I believe the two host satellites are identical, though the distance does vary some.
Hello Paul,
Yeah, I figured they were part of the same launch, but I've never seen them orbiting so identically for a long period like this. Perhaps the host satellites have been re-tasked (moved) to this new configuration?
--- Zach N0ZGO
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
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If you have been paying attention to these two satellites over the last 3 or so years since they have been launched, you have noticed that yes, they were once pretty close together but separated as time went along. Now they are almost at the same orbital position. Looking as SATPC32, you will see that 4A seems to be about 1 KM higher than 4B. The slow drift over the years is probably due to a very small difference in release velocity from when they were separated from the launch vehicle. They were launched in June of 2017 and seemed to have gotten close a few years back. Over the next couple of months, they will slowly drift apart.
From: Pedro Dutra Sousa via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Monday, January 4, 2021 4:19 PM To: Bob Liddy (K8BL) k8bl@ameritech.net Cc: Paul Stoetzer n8hm@arrl.net; AMSAT amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: CAS-4A/B co-located?
Looks like a rendezvous.
73
Pedro CU2ZG
Sent from my iPhone
On 4 Jan 2021, at 21:01, Bob Liddy (K8BL) <k8bl@ameritech.net mailto:k8bl@ameritech.net > wrote:
There are suspicions that they were very active during the early
morning hours of November 4th. ;o) -BL
On Monday, January 4, 2021, 02:59:12 PM EST, Paul Stoetzer <n8hm@arrl.net mailto:n8hm@arrl.net > wrote:
Possibly. I doubt we'll ever know exactly what Zhuhai-1 01A and Zhuhai-1 01B are actually up to :)
https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/zhuhai-1_ovs-1.htm
73,
Paul. N8HM
On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 2:56 PM Zach Metzinger <zmetzing@pobox.com mailto:zmetzing@pobox.com > wrote:
On 01/04/21 13:51, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
They were launched on the same mission and have stayed pretty close together as I believe the two host satellites are identical, though the distance does vary some.
Hello Paul,
Yeah, I figured they were part of the same launch, but I've never seen them orbiting so identically for a long period like this. Perhaps the host satellites have been re-tasked (moved) to this new configuration?
--- Zach N0ZGO
-----------------------------------------------------------
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View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org http://amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
-----------------------------------------------------------
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I noticed!! I think that's just how their orbits are now but this seems to change, probably because they are in slightly different orbits that just coincide at the moment. Wasn't long ago, I would work CAS-4B and then at LOS, I'd immediately go to CAS-4A near AOS. They'll probably separate again gradually with some time.
73 de KI4SIY (James in FM02)
On Mon, Jan 4, 2021, 14:49 Zach Metzinger zmetzing@pobox.com wrote:
Hello all,
Has anyone else noticed that CAS-4A and -4B appear to be orbiting nearly on top of each other today?
At first, I thought it was an odd font artifact when I looked at the world map view. Nope, they're basically on top of one another.
--- Zach N0ZGO
Sent via AMSAT-BB(a)amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
View archives of this mailing list at https://mailman.amsat.org/hyperkitty/list/amsat-bb@amsat.org To unsubscribe send an email to amsat-bb-leave(a)amsat.org Manage all of your AMSAT-NA mailing list preferences at https://mailman.amsat.org
participants (6)
-
Bob Liddy (K8BL) -
Paul Stoetzer -
Pedro Dutra Sousa -
Ryland Bayne -
tjschuessler＠verizon.net -
Zach Metzinger