[amsat-bb] Re: Can we get them to fix AO-40 first then?

[Samudra Haque]

I reached out today and talked to a professional astronomer, and here
is the response. Before we start a project to actually take a detailed
photo of the AO-40 in Space, could someone work with me directly to
determine the coordinates that we could provide as requested:

>>
Hi Samudra,

We would have to know the exact coordinates ahead of time, point the
telescope there, then start imaging as it flies through the field of
view.

Since we've never done it, I don't know how doable it actually is. I'm
pretty certain we don't have the cameras...

It's possible, but we would need more info and possible differetn equipment.

>>

The group I approached is a reputable one associated with their own
observatory, locally to the Washington DC area. If anyone is
interested to help out with the mathematics required, please contact
me directly at n3rdx at amsat.org. I know of two other groups who can be
approached locally, but we must given them all the details of
size/configuration etc. Could be an interesting intellectual challenge
while people are waiting for new sats to be designed.

-samudra


On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 5:30 PM, Peter Guelzow <peter.guelzow at kourou.de> wrote:
> Hi Robert,
>
> that's indeed the big question...   We do not know in which attitude the
> spacecraft is..  is it still spinning very slowly or tumbling?  What is
> the Solar-ß-Angel?
> If the S/C has a good orientation to the sun and the battery opens, than
> there should be enough power to operate the IHU and Beacon etc... do
> some magnetorquing to improve attitude.
> Something like this was done when AO-10 was hit by the last rocket
> stage, spinning the wrong direction with sun directly on top and almost
> no power...
> Unfolding the solar panels would give very high power only when they are
> oriented towards the sun.  With folded solar arrays, all panels around
> the satellite can still see the sun around it's spin axis.
> Only when it shines on top or bottom, we will have problems...
>
> 73s Peter
>
>
>
> Rocky Jones wrote:
>> Peter.
>>
>> In the current configuration (or the last known config) of the vehicle
>> does the vehicle have sufficient solar illumination to "spin" and
>> maintain the DC busses without a battery?
>>
>> Robert WB5MZO
>>
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>