[amsat-bb] Re: PCSAT-1 (no-44) In Fine Form!

[Jason White]

Bob,

What is the expected orbital life span of PCSAT-1 or 2? I know you had 
mentioned that ANDE and FCAL had about a year, and less for RAFT and 
MARScom.

I'm not savy enough to calculate such things from the TLE (or to know if 
that's even possible, except perhaps that a lower orbit means more 
atmospheric drag)

73,

Jason
N1XBP



Robert Bruninga wrote:
> 
> Its easy.  Just look for when the orbit of PCSAT-1, (NO-44) is
> over the Dawn/Dusk terminator.  This means it is flying in 24
> hour sun.  This occurs for a week to 2 weeks about every 2
> months or so.  BUT we can only recover it when this occurs AND
> the sun is in the southern Hemisphere.  Thus, only in the fall,
> winter and spring.  Next one I think is in early march.
> 
> Once it is "recovered" even if it is only in full sun for a
> week, once it is recovered it will continue to operate even back
> into maximum eclipses as long as it does not get a RESET.  When
> it resets, it returns to negative power budget and we are lost
> until the next full sun period.  Though it is still useable
> everyday if you are lucky only near midday passes when it is in
> the sun.
> 
> Bob, Wb4APR
> 
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