"Pseudo-MPEC" for 2018-045A = NORAD 43470 = Queqiao

Created 2018 May 23 17:40:45 UT using Find_Orb

Click here for an explanation of pseudo-MPECs

Click here for the pseudo-MPEC for the Queqiao booster

TLEs are available for this and other objects on these pages. Note that for this particular object, we only have TLEs for four days, during its ascent from low-earth orbit to reaching the moon. After it goes past the moon on 2018 May 25.5, it goes into an Earth-Moon L2 Lissajous orbit, where TLEs no longer work (and where we have no idea where it is anyway.)

You can click here for customized ephemerides for Queqiao, its booster, and some other objects, courtesy of the Minor Planet Center.

With further data from Peter Birtwhistle at J95, the perilune distance is defined with sufficient uncertainty that there's no real doubt about this being the Queqiao payload. The satellite is supposed to come within 100 km of the lunar surface, and the moon has a radius of 1737.4 km. The q=1857 +/- 54 km of the orbit below fits within half a sigma.

Quan-Zhi Ye has posted an animation of the motion of this object based on images taken at Xingming Observatory in China. 

 
 Astrometry: 
     ZK1AE48  C2018 05 21.19239 11 34 07.50 -18 17 58.7         x13.3 GU     703
     ZK1AE48  C2018 05 21.19772 11 34 40.08 -18 08 50.4         x13.0 GU     703
     ZK1AE48  C2018 05 21.20304 11 35 11.98 -17 59 57.6         x13.3 GU     703
     ZK1AE48  C2018 05 21.20837 11 35 43.75 -17 51 10.4         x13.2 GU     703
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 21.92752212 26 24.71 -11 04 30.2          15.2 G      J95
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 21.92780912 26 24.83 -11 04 24.3          15.2 G      J95
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 21.92806912 26 24.93 -11 04 19.2          15.3 G      J95
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 21.92833012 26 25.02 -11 04 14.1          15.4 G      J95
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 21.92858712 26 25.13 -11 04 09.0          15.3 G      J95
     A106Zt0  C2018 05 2279AstrometryN,e!@cRo7l\DTNg(we^p^-EW[hhP[Yi0?Te_q=.cT08
     A106Zt0  C2018 05 22djasN!p:_@Rl?/M.wredacted;XC0G-OseeVMhMjwj.AR'n(dtA+T08
     A106Zt0  C2018 05 22L3J\:23r0Dt=M*j15mwhTX]4:!/[`[Heqcw+5a)cY0m#%lsNEOCPT08
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.69713 12 43 42.91 -08 15 54.1          15.8 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.69870 12 43 42.45 -08 15 36.6          15.9 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.70025 12 43 42.02 -08 15 20.1          15.9 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.70184 12 43 41.61 -08 15 03.3          15.8 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.70343 12 43 41.16 -08 14 46.3          15.9 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.70501 12 43 40.79 -08 14 29.1          15.8 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.70663 12 43 40.35 -08 14 11.0          15.9 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.70826 12 43 39.97 -08 13 54.3          15.8 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.70991 12 43 39.58 -08 13 35.7          15.9 G      C42
     queqia2  C2018 05 22.71148 12 43 39.19 -08 13 18.6          15.9 G      C42
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 22.89969312 48 05.04 -07 53 11.6          16.0 GV     J95
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 22.90036812 48 04.85 -07 53 05.6          16.0 GV     J95
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 22.90104512 48 04.65 -07 52 59.9          16.0 GV     J95
     ZK1AE48 KC2018 05 22.90169412 48 04.47 -07 52 53.8          16.0 GV     J95

Station data:
(703) Catalina Sky Survey  (N32.417006 W110.732640)  US/Arizona.  Observer G.
   J. Leonard. Measurers B. M. Africano, E. J. Christensen, D. C. Fuls, A. R.
   Gibbs, A. D. Grauer, H. Groeller, J. A. Johnson, R. A. Kowalski, S. M.
   Larson, G. J. Leonard, R. L. Seaman, F. C. Shelly. 0.68-m Schmidt + 10K
   CCD.
(C42) Xingming Observatory,  Mt. Nanshan  (N43.471021 E87.177800)  China.
   Measurer  Q.-Z. Ye.  0.5-m f/4 reflector + CCD.
(J95) Great Shefford  (N51.474969 W1.447003)  UK.  Observer P. Birtwhistle.
   0.40-m f/6.0 Schmidt-Cassegrain + CCD.
(T08) ATLAS-MLO, Mauna Loa  (N19.535772 W155.576400)  US/Hawaii.

Orbital elements (geocentric):  2018-045A = NORAD 43470 = Queqiao
   Perigee 2018 May 20.911932 +/- 0.000117 TT = 21:53:10 (JD 2458259.411932)
Epoch 2018 May 22.0 TT = JDT 2458260.5                        Gray
M  39.60429 +/- 0.010               (J2000 equator)
n  36.39871832 +/- 0.0105           Peri.  174.41347 +/- 0.0023
a194631.342 +/- 37.6                Node   204.65262 +/- 0.00007
e   0.9664127 +/- 5.77e-6           Incl.   29.01035 +/- 0.00058
P   9.89d                  H 28.0   G  0.15   U  9.7
q 6537.13938 +/- 1.9    Q 382725.545 +/- 73.6
22 of 26 observations 2018 May 21-22 (23.4 hr); mean residual 0".220

Orbital elements (lunicentric):  2018-045A = NORAD 43470 = Queqiao
   Perilune 2018 May 25.569808 +/- 0.000444 TT = 13:40:31 (JD 2458264.069808)
Epoch 2018 May 25.5 TT = JDT 2458264.0                        Gray
q  1842.37050 +/- 43.4              (J2000 ecliptic)
H   28.0  G 0.15                    Peri.  114.26194 +/- 0.7
                                    Node   312.65621 +/- 0.32
e   1.2879053 +/- 0.00678           Incl.   16.45901 +/- 0.20
22 of 26 observations 2018 May 21-22 (23.4 hr); mean residual 0".220

Residuals in arcseconds: 
180521 703( 168-  179+)   180522 T08 .195- .079-    180522 C42 .023+ .645+
180521 703( 163-  177+)   180522 T08 5.7m- .089-    180522 C42 .276+ .275-
180521 703( 159-  171+)   180522 T08 .085- .023-    180522 C42 .252+ .462+
180521 703( 151-  170+)   180522 C42 .097- .292-    180522 C42 .243- .540+
180521 J95 .111- .037-    180522 C42 .195- .389+    180522 J95 7.1m- 3.5m-
180521 J95 .051+ .136+    180522 C42 .097- .259+    180522 J95 .040+ .030+
180521 J95 .065+ .047+    180522 C42 .294+ .027-    180522 J95 .064- .259-
180521 J95 .077- .062-    180522 C42 .086- .139-    180522 J95 1.1m+ .095+
180521 J95 .093+ .092-    180522 C42 .505+ .032+

Ephemerides (geocentric):
Date (UTC) HH   RA              Dec         delta  elong  mag " sig PA
---- -- -- --  -------------   -----------  ------ -----  --- ---- ---
2018 05 21 00  10 30 54.865   -21 56 52.37   40505 106.5 12.8 46.0  72
2018 05 21 01  10 58 13.132   -19 34 28.89   53295 112.0 13.2 22.6  70
2018 05 21 02  11 14 56.220   -17 57 15.46   64677 115.4 13.5 13.1  70
2018 05 21 03  11 26 37.896   -16 44 53.67   75057 117.8 13.7  8.2  70
2018 05 21 04  11 35 28.131   -15 47 55.35   84671 119.5 14.0  5.4  71
2018 05 21 05  11 42 29.526   -15 01 17.21   93670 120.9 14.1  3.7  72
2018 05 21 06  11 48 16.512   -14 22 00.62  102158 122.1 14.3  2.6  75
2018 05 21 07  11 53 09.840   -13 48 12.43  110213 123.0 14.4  1.8  78
2018 05 21 08  11 57 22.886   -13 18 36.92  117891 123.9 14.5  1.3  83
2018 05 21 09  12 01 04.721   -12 52 21.10  125237 124.6 14.7  .90  90
2018 05 21 10  12 04 21.756   -12 28 46.63  132288 125.2 14.8  .64 100
2018 05 21 11  12 07 18.671   -12 07 24.92  139071 125.8 14.8  .48 115
2018 05 21 12  12 09 58.975   -11 47 54.13  145611 126.2 14.9  .39 133
2018 05 21 13  12 12 25.365   -11 29 57.24  151929 126.7 15.0  .35 151
2018 05 21 14  12 14 39.950   -11 13 20.74  158042 127.1 15.1  .35 166
2018 05 21 15  12 16 44.409   -10 57 53.78  163965 127.5 15.2  .36 177
2018 05 21 16  12 18 40.098   -10 43 27.45  169710 127.8 15.2  .38   4
2018 05 21 17  12 20 28.128   -10 29 54.42  175290 128.1 15.3  .39   9
2018 05 21 18  12 22 09.418   -10 17 08.57  180714 128.4 15.3  .40  13
2018 05 21 19  12 23 44.735   -10 05 04.73  185990 128.7 15.4  .41  15
2018 05 21 20  12 25 14.730   -09 53 38.50  191127 128.9 15.4  .41  17
2018 05 21 21  12 26 39.953   -09 42 46.13  196133 129.2 15.5  .41  18
2018 05 21 22  12 28 00.878   -09 32 24.37  201012 129.4 15.5  .41  19
2018 05 21 23  12 29 17.914   -09 22 30.39  205772 129.6 15.6  .40  19
2018 05 22 00  12 30 31.415   -09 13 01.73  210417 129.8 15.6  .40  19
2018 05 22 01  12 31 41.693   -09 03 56.23  214953 130.0 15.7  .39  19
2018 05 22 02  12 32 49.018   -08 55 11.97  219384 130.2 15.7  .38  19
2018 05 22 03  12 33 53.633   -08 46 47.26  223713 130.3 15.8  .37  19
2018 05 22 04  12 34 55.750   -08 38 40.59  227944 130.5 15.8  .37  18
2018 05 22 05  12 35 55.559   -08 30 50.62  232082 130.6 15.8  .36  18
2018 05 22 06  12 36 53.230   -08 23 16.11  236129 130.8 15.9  .35  18
2018 05 22 07  12 37 48.915   -08 15 55.99  240089 130.9 15.9  .34  17
2018 05 22 08  12 38 42.752   -08 08 49.25  243963 131.0 15.9  .33  16
2018 05 22 09  12 39 34.865   -08 01 55.01  247755 131.2 15.9  .32  16
2018 05 22 10  12 40 25.365   -07 55 12.45  251467 131.3 16.0  .31  15
2018 05 22 11  12 41 14.356   -07 48 40.82  255101 131.4 16.0  .31  15
2018 05 22 12  12 42 01.929   -07 42 19.45  258660 131.5 16.0  .30  14
2018 05 22 13  12 42 48.169   -07 36 07.69  262145 131.6 16.1  .29  14
2018 05 22 14  12 43 33.155   -07 30 04.99  265559 131.7 16.1  .29  13
2018 05 22 15  12 44 16.958   -07 24 10.81  268902 131.8 16.1  .28  13
2018 05 22 16  12 44 59.643   -07 18 24.65  272178 131.9 16.1  .28  13
2018 05 22 17  12 45 41.270   -07 12 46.07  275387 132.0 16.2  .27  13
2018 05 22 18  12 46 21.895   -07 07 14.65  278530 132.1 16.2  .27  13
2018 05 22 19  12 47 01.570   -07 01 49.98  281611 132.1 16.2  .26  13
2018 05 22 20  12 47 40.343   -06 56 31.71  284628 132.2 16.2  .26  13
2018 05 22 21  12 48 18.257   -06 51 19.50  287585 132.3 16.2  .26  13
2018 05 22 22  12 48 55.353   -06 46 13.02  290482 132.4 16.3  .26  13
2018 05 22 23  12 49 31.670   -06 41 11.98  293320 132.4 16.3  .26  14
2018 05 23 00  12 50 07.243   -06 36 16.10  296100 132.5 16.3  .25  15
2018 05 23 01  12 50 42.106   -06 31 25.11  298824 132.6 16.3  .25  15
2018 05 23 02  12 51 16.289   -06 26 38.76  301492 132.6 16.3  .26  16
2018 05 23 03  12 51 49.821   -06 21 56.82  304106 132.7 16.4  .26  17
2018 05 23 04  12 52 22.729   -06 17 19.06  306666 132.7 16.4  .26  18
2018 05 23 05  12 52 55.038   -06 12 45.28  309173 132.8 16.4  .26  19
2018 05 23 06  12 53 26.772   -06 08 15.28  311628 132.8 16.4  .27  21
2018 05 23 07  12 53 57.953   -06 03 48.85  314032 132.9 16.4  .27  22
2018 05 23 08  12 54 28.602   -05 59 25.83  316385 132.9 16.4  .27  23
2018 05 23 09  12 54 58.737   -05 55 06.04  318689 133.0 16.4  .28  25
2018 05 23 10  12 55 28.377   -05 50 49.32  320943 133.0 16.5  .29  26
2018 05 23 11  12 55 57.539   -05 46 35.49  323150 133.1 16.5  .30  28
2018 05 23 12  12 56 26.239   -05 42 24.42  325308 133.1 16.5  .30  29
2018 05 23 13  12 56 54.492   -05 38 15.95  327420 133.2 16.5  .31  30
2018 05 23 14  12 57 22.311   -05 34 09.94  329485 133.2 16.5  .32  32
2018 05 23 15  12 57 49.710   -05 30 06.26  331503 133.2 16.5  .34  33
2018 05 23 16  12 58 16.699   -05 26 04.77  333477 133.3 16.5  .35  34
2018 05 23 17  12 58 43.292   -05 22 05.34  335406 133.3 16.5  .36  36
2018 05 23 18  12 59 09.497   -05 18 07.84  337290 133.3 16.6  .38  37
2018 05 23 19  12 59 35.324   -05 14 12.16  339130 133.4 16.6  .39  38
2018 05 23 20  13 00 00.783   -05 10 18.16  340927 133.4 16.6  .41  39
2018 05 23 21  13 00 25.881   -05 06 25.74  342681 133.4 16.6  .42  40
2018 05 23 22  13 00 50.625   -05 02 34.76  344392 133.5 16.6  .44  41
2018 05 23 23  13 01 15.021   -04 58 45.13  346061 133.5 16.6  .46  42
2018 05 24 00  13 01 39.076   -04 54 56.71  347689 133.5 16.6  .48  43
2018 05 24 01  13 02 02.794   -04 51 09.39  349275 133.5 16.6  .50  43
2018 05 24 02  13 02 26.180   -04 47 23.06  350820 133.6 16.6  .52  44
2018 05 24 03  13 02 49.236   -04 43 37.60  352324 133.6 16.6  .55  45
2018 05 24 04  13 03 11.965   -04 39 52.89  353788 133.6 16.7  .57  46
2018 05 24 05  13 03 34.370   -04 36 08.81  355212 133.6 16.7  .59  46
2018 05 24 06  13 03 56.449   -04 32 25.24  356597 133.6 16.7  .62  47
2018 05 24 07  13 04 18.205   -04 28 42.04  357942 133.7 16.7  .64  47
2018 05 24 08  13 04 39.634   -04 24 59.10  359248 133.7 16.7  .67  48
2018 05 24 09  13 05 00.735   -04 21 16.28  360515 133.7 16.7  .70  48
2018 05 24 10  13 05 21.504   -04 17 33.43  361744 133.7 16.7  .73  49
2018 05 24 11  13 05 41.936   -04 13 50.40  362935 133.7 16.7  .76  49
2018 05 24 12  13 06 02.025   -04 10 07.04  364087 133.7 16.7  .79  49
2018 05 24 13  13 06 21.763   -04 06 23.19  365202 133.7 16.7  .82  50
2018 05 24 14  13 06 41.140   -04 02 38.66  366280 133.7 16.7  .85  50
2018 05 24 15  13 07 00.143   -03 58 53.26  367320 133.7 16.7  .88  50
2018 05 24 16  13 07 18.759   -03 55 06.79  368324 133.7 16.7  .92  50
2018 05 24 17  13 07 36.970   -03 51 19.01  369290 133.8 16.7  .95  51
2018 05 24 18  13 07 54.755   -03 47 29.67  370221 133.8 16.8  .99  51
2018 05 24 19  13 08 12.089   -03 43 38.50  371115 133.7 16.8  1.0  51
2018 05 24 20  13 08 28.944   -03 39 45.18  371973 133.7 16.8  1.1  51
2018 05 24 21  13 08 45.284   -03 35 49.35  372796 133.7 16.8  1.1  52
2018 05 24 22  13 09 01.068   -03 31 50.61  373583 133.7 16.8  1.1  52
2018 05 24 23  13 09 16.245   -03 27 48.48  374335 133.7 16.8  1.2  52
2018 05 25 00  13 09 30.754   -03 23 42.43  375053 133.7 16.8  1.2  52
2018 05 25 01  13 09 44.520   -03 19 31.81  375736 133.7 16.8  1.3  53
2018 05 25 02  13 09 57.451   -03 15 15.83  376386 133.7 16.8  1.3  53
2018 05 25 03  13 10 09.430   -03 10 53.54  377003 133.6 16.8  1.4  54
2018 05 25 04  13 10 20.309   -03 06 23.78  377587 133.6 16.8  1.4  54
2018 05 25 05  13 10 29.896   -03 01 45.04  378140 133.6 16.8  1.5  55
2018 05 25 06  13 10 37.934   -02 56 55.39  378664 133.5 16.8  1.5  56
2018 05 25 07  13 10 44.070   -02 51 52.22  379160 133.5 16.8  1.6  58
2018 05 25 08  13 10 47.800   -02 46 31.90  379633 133.4 16.8  1.7  61
2018 05 25 09  13 10 48.361   -02 40 49.17  380088 133.3 16.8  1.8  65
2018 05 25 10  13 10 44.519   -02 34 35.79  380536 133.2 16.8  2.0  71
2018 05 25 11  13 10 34.040   -02 27 37.79  381002 133.1 16.8  2.4  81