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

[myles landstein]

if a  'special' camera  is  required,   often,   cameras (even really  
good ones, or special purpose )
  can be  rented  for a short time for a very  very reasonable  rate


On Oct 15, 2009, at 6:53 PM, Samudra Haque wrote:

> 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
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft. Get it now.
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>>
>>
>
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Myles Landstein
myles.landstein at gmail.com
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