[amsat-bb] ISS "running late"

[John Magliacane]

 Hi Ron.

> Apparently the ISS made a maneuver to accept the Dragon capsule and slightly raised its orbit.

I vaguely remember back in the Salyut 7 and Mir days that an indication the Russians were about to launch a spacecraft to dock with either of these space stations was when the the eccentricity of their orbits were brought closer to zero (a.k.a. "circularized"). 

Last night's visible pass (based on Keps issues yesterday from Celestrak) was right on target. PREDICT's eclipse alarm rang EXACTLY when the ISS entered into eclipse. :-)

It was nice to see Jupiter, Saturn, and the crescent Moon hanging out together, too. ;-)

 
73 de John, KD2BD