[amsat-bb] Re: Question on ANDE/RAFT/NMARS/FCAL

[W3NJ@aol.com]

Thanks Bob for the Physics refresher, it's appreciated!

tnx es 73

Bruce -W3NJ


In a message dated 7/23/2007 09:21:30 Central Daylight Time, 
bruninga at usna.edu writes:


> 
> 
> > Since NMARS and RAFT have both re-entered the 
> > atmosphere, how is it FCAL and ANDE are still 
> > in orbit since they were lauched at the same 
> > time?
> 
> ANDE was a perfect sphere with no external drag components and
> weighed 50 kg.  RAFT and NMARS  were less aerodynamic cubes and
> both had extrnal whip antnenas an hopefully a 4 foot long wire
> HF antenna (though we think they were not fully deployed)...
> 
> So ANDE's mass is 15 times as much but it's cross section area
> is only 10 times larger and much smoother.
> 
> 

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