Astra 2E: On Hold At 43.5E

[solly]

astra 1h traking next week 29 december
will be near 25.5e

 

[Jester87]

Have made up a collection of quotes from the posts here, so anybody late in joining the discussion does not have to read all posts to get the most important scientific content.



Merry xmas

 

[M60]

1H is almost passing 28.2E now (currently at 28.39E as I write this). It's like 'spin the wheel' - will she stop or carry on?? Answers on a postcard please!!

 

[solly]

today 1h 28.3 east
very near to 28.2e
it still moveing west

 

[Schroeder]

Tracking sites will show it moving until a TLE update shows it as "stationary", the SES ephemeris data will be more accurate but lags by 1-1.5 days.

Currently 1H shows as at 28.21E and still in a raised orbit so apparently still moving west as solly and M60 reported. It's wait and see time.

 

[Lazarus]

Wait and see, at 23.5E ....................... !

 

[Schroeder]

Wait and see, at 23.5E ....................... !

just before New year

 

[hvdh]

I see... a sign. Or is it coincidence? Or messed up TLE's?
Astra 1H and Astra 2D would now be in a remarkable synchronous encounter near 28.0 East.
Both inclined with 1.29 degrees, and both will cross the Clarke-belt at 21:02 UTC sharp.

 

[Schroeder]

I see... a sign. Or is it coincidence? Or messed up TLE's?
Astra 1H and Astra 2D would now be in a remarkable synchronous encounter near 28.0 East.
Both inclined with 1.29 degrees, and both will cross the Clarke-belt at 21:02 UTC sharp.

They will be at different altitudes. Astra 2D 35788.69 km and Astra 1H @ 35832.79 km i.e. 1H is 41 Km above 2D

 

[joddle]

Ah so one passes behind the other will the signal from the one behind one be blocked out!!!!

 

[Schroeder]

1H is in the higher orbit and is not transmitting anyway as it's moving west (at least according to the tracking sites)

 

[smoggy07]

1H is in the higher orbit and is not transmitting anyway as it's moving west (at least according to the tracking sites)

Even though it's moving there should still be a beacon transmitting.

 

[solly]

astra 1h move astra 2 slot
is underway to badr 26 east

 

[Schroeder]

Even though it's moving there should still be a beacon transmitting.

Yes very true, but as the bird is above the equator and 40+ km above 2D that transmission would not be impacted by 2D's position.

 

[solly]

astra 1h now 26.9 less 1 deg near badar

 

[Lazarus]

We shall soon find out if 23.5E really is the destination, then.


Or not!

 

[hvdh]

We shall soon find out if 23.5E really is the destination, then.
Or not!

Not! SES center-of-box:
A1H 19.66 N/A 1 0.030 32.64072 2014/01/08 08:04:43
A1H 19.66 N/A 1 0.030 32.64072 2014/01/08 08:00:00

This 19.66 East position may just be an intermediate position (I've been fooled before by this).
But for sure, 23.5 East won't be the end destination.

 

[Lazarus]

Interesting!

What's your educated guess on where she may be headed?

 

[hvdh]

My first guess is, it will replace the still non-inclined standby Astra 2B at 19.4 East, which is then free to go to... dunno!

 

[cazhh]

Not! SES center-of-box:
A1H 19.66 N/A 1 0.030 32.64072 2014/01/08 08:04:43
A1H 19.66 N/A 1 0.030 32.64072 2014/01/08 08:00:00

This 19.66 East position may just be an intermediate position (I've been fooled before by this).
But for sure, 23.5 East won't be the end destination.

The CoB data has been showing all sort of strange data in the last few weeks. I wouldn't start a new rumour based on this data.
I'd say the algorithm is just not working for a moving satellite (cob is calculated based on current ephemeris data).