[amsat-bb] Re: New birds

[G0MRF@aol.com]

Hi Nigel / Mark.
 
The lack of TLEs at celestrak is a little strange.
 
Nanosail-D is due to deploy from FASTSAT   7 days after launch.  Its sail 
is large compared to the 1U cube and the drag at 650km will be high. If  I 
read the info correctly, re-entry is expected in 70 - 120 days, which from  
650k is amazingly short and very interesting. (How high can you orbit a  
satellite and still get it to deorbit in 25 years etc etc)
 
However....back to the lack of TLEs.  Nanosail-D has a 70cm beacon  which 
will last about 12 days and NASA invites reports. They also have TLEs and  a 
map on the "Nanosail-D dashboard" so presumably it's not a security issue.  
Just a shame to do all the searching of sites when celestrack is usually so  
reliable.
 
TS Kelso has also made a few comments on his twitter pages.
 
David  G0MRF
 
_http://twitter.com/TSKelso_ (http://twitter.com/TSKelso)               
_http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm_ 
(http://nanosaild.engr.scu.edu/dashboard.htm) 
 
In a message dated 24/11/2010 14:30:21 GMT Standard Time, nigel at ngunn.net  
writes:

It  surpprises me that, 4 days after launch, Space Track appears to not 
have keps  for the bird despite having given it 
(and the other payload components)  int.designators on Sunday. We usually 
get keps first and designators/names  some days 
later.