[Neocp_artsats] ZTF0Kci = A10v8km = small bit in 14-hour orbit

Bill Gray pluto at projectpluto.com
Sun Feb 21 12:09:19 EST 2021


    This was found as A10v8km on 12 February and reasonably well
tracked,  with both the ATLAS data and some from (J95) and (033).
The orbit vaguely resembled 2007-003AS,  a bit of debris with
i=25.66, e=0.77154,  and orbital period 847.9 minutes.  Today,
ZTF recovered it,  as ZTF0Kci (linked orbit below).

    The ascending node is at 185.3 degrees and it's quite clear
that this object is _not_ 2007-003AS.  But Space-Track lists all sorts
of bits and bobs from this booster;  I think this is just another one.
I don't know when the original booster underwent Rapid Unplanned
Disassembly,  but it does look as if the pieces have had time in
which to spread out in ascending node.

    I didn't think I had enough data for TLEs before,  nor am I
accustomed to seeing objects in 14-hour orbits on NEOCP.  Now that
it's showed up twice,  I have just computed and added TLEs for it.

-- Bill

Orbital elements:  A10v8km = ZTF0Kci
    Perigee 2021 Feb 20.96374 +/- 8.34e-6 TT = 23:07:47 (JD 2459266.46374)
Epoch 2021 Feb 21.0 TT; AMR 0.30031 +/- 0.0407 m^2/kg         Gray
M  22.18111348 +/- 0.0049           (J2000 equator)
n 611.78241287 +/- 0.00107          Peri.  148.88800 +/- 0.0022
a 29662.3472 +/- 0.0345             Node   174.03994 +/- 0.0011
e   0.7673193 +/- 2.13e-5           Incl.   25.44514 +/- 0.0012
P 847.34m/0.588d           H 31.3   G  0.15   U  8.1
q 6901.85482 +/- 0.633    Q 52422.8395 +/- 0.62
 From 30 observations 2021 Feb. 12-21; mean residual 1".472




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