Due to Thanksgiving being on Thursday, the AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution for
this week will be today, November 21, 2017. Next week we will continue with
the normal TLE distribution on each Thursday of the week. Note that, per
comments below, AO-91 is most likely object 43016.
It appears that AO-91 is in the group of cubesats launched on 11-18-17 that
include objects 43016, 43017, and 43018. The object 43015 that we were using
for AO-91 has separated enough to be confirmed as Buccaneer RRM by 18th
Space Control Squadron at Vandenburg AFB, CA. One of 18 SPCS many missions
is launch analysis.
Therefore, based analysis (by Nico Janssen, (PA0DLO) and discussion by Alan
Biddle (WA4SCA), Jerry Buxton (N0JY), Nico Janssen (PA0DLO), Paul Stoetzer
(N8HM) and myself AO-91 is most likely object 43016. Note that these objects
are still very close together and one more change could be needed. The
process of identification is one of waiting for a group of objects to
separate enough to isolate the one you are interested in and positively
identify it's signal as matching a certain TLE set. Simple, right!
For comparison, Buccaneer (object 43015, not AO-91) is now at least 26
seconds from objects 43016, 43017, and 43018. Objects 43016, 43017, and
43018 are still about 2 seconds apart. (Analysis by Nico,PA0DLO)
Yeah! RadFxSat (AO-91) is finally in orbit and working! Congrats to Fox-1B
team! Well done.
Note: RadFxSat (Fox-1B) has been designated AO-91 per Bill Tynan, W3XO,
AMSAT-NA OSCAR Number Administrator.
Be aware that AO-91 (NORAD CAT ID 43015) has NOT been released for general
use. Do NOT transmit to AO-91 until on-orbit tests are complete. If you hear
the transponder on, do NOT assume that AO-91 is open for general use. Check
the AMSAT website, Facebook, or Twitter before transmitting.
All references to RadFxSat are gone. It is now AO-91.
This week's AMSAT-NA TLE Distribution includes a preliminary TLE for the
RadFxSat (Fox-1B) which is to be launched from Vandenburg Air Force Base on
this Saturday, November 18 at 09:47 UTC.
The TLE for RadFxSat is dated November 18 at 09:47 UTC (EPOCH =
17322.46018518) while the remaining TLEs are for today (November 16,2017).
The NORAD CAT ID remains 00000.
Godspeed RadFxSat.
Ray Hoad
WA5QGD
Orbital Elements Manager
It appears that the TLE set orb17317.2l.amsat has some problems with the
RadFxSat TLE.
When you create a TLE from an object that has not been launched, you have to
make some
assumptions and this may cause a problem with the values used in the TLE
set.
Therefore I am issuing a new set named orb17318.2l.amsat. This set is
provided by Pedro, LU7ABF and appears to be a stable TLE. Note that the TLEs
for other satellites have NOT changed, only the RadFxSat TLE has been
changed. I have retained the NORAD CAT ID as 00000.
Be prepared to see additional updates as we proceed. This will probably not
be the last change to the TLEs!
Thanks LUSAT.
