"Pseudo-MPEC" for 1972-073A = IMP-7 = NORAD 06197

Created 2016 Sep 24 14:30:54 UT using Find_Orb

You can get ephemerides for this object from the Minor Planet Center's Distant Artificial Satellites Observation page, customized for your observing location and desired time span.

A version of this page with more 'current' observations and elements is also available.

You can also get TLEs (Two-Line Elements) for this (and many other objects described on these pages.)

A couple of months after this object was found in 2013, we had just enough data to allows us to get decent elements for an epoch near the launch date of IMP7 (see the elements below, since updated), which are a decent match to the elements given at NSSDC. So I'm now pretty confident that this object really is IMP7. (There wasn't much doubt, but it was somewhat conceivable that some lunar mission hardware might have somehow nudged its way into this orbit. Not very likely, though!)

Astrometry:
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.22876 09 48 29.48 +14 12 12.6         x16.8 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.23381 09 48 51.15 +14 15 30.1         x16.8 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.23890 09 49 12.97 +14 18 47.5         x16.9 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.32882 09 55 51.63 +15 13 38.9         x17.5 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.32914 09 55 53.18 +15 13 48.6         x17.2 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.32947 09 55 54.69 +15 14 01.3         x17.5 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.32979 09 55 56.20 +15 14 12.7         x17.5 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.39082 10 00 58.14 +15 47 42.2         x17.7 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.39116 10 00 59.90 +15 47 52.9         x17.7 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.39148 10 01 01.63 +15 48 03.6         x17.6 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.39181 10 01 03.28 +15 48 12.9         x17.7 V D0476703
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.46475 10 17 24.52 +16 32 11.5         x18.1 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.46581 10 17 30.19 +16 32 57.2         x18.0 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.46688 10 17 35.89 +16 33 43.3         x17.9 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.46794 10 17 41.54 +16 34 28.5         x18.0 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.46900 10 17 47.19 +16 35 13.8         x18.0 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.63428 10 31 49.65 +18 22 08.4         x17.7 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.63498 10 31 53.24 +18 22 32.0         x18.2 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.63570 10 31 56.98 +18 22 57.5         x18.1 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.63639 10 32 00.58 +18 23 20.7         x18.0 R D0476300
     UE2A938  C2013 03 12.63708 10 32 04.14 +18 23 43.2         x18.2 R D0476300
     UE2A938 KC2013 03 13.96628314 00 18.77 +25 32 06.5         x18.7 R D0476J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 03 13.96830614 00 38.90 +25 32 13.7         x18.3 R D0476J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 03 13.97147214 01 10.29 +25 32 24.1         x18.6 R D0476J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 03 13.97590514 01 54.14 +25 32 36.9         x18.3 R D0476J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 05.87521109 28 41.38 +12 59 10.0         x15.6 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 05.87633009 28 46.38 +12 59 50.8         x15.6 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 05.88731909 29 35.64 +13 06 27.9         x15.5 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 05.88824909 29 39.86 +13 07 01.6         x15.5 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 05.88933209 29 44.70 +13 07 40.1         x15.5 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 07.04115211 39 54.84 +23 14 36.2         x18.1 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 07.04227311 40 02.33 +23 14 56.9         x18.2 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 07.04428711 40 15.78 +23 15 33.2         x19.0 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 07.04592611 40 26.71 +23 16 02.4         x18.3 R D0478J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 19.92097712 19 43.58 +26 12 50.7         x18.8 R D0479J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 19.92304812 19 57.39 +26 13 24.0         x18.5 R D0479J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 04 19.92500312 20 10.48 +26 13 54.6         x18.6 R D0479J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 05 02.93777113 32 04.61 +27 25 51.4         x18.2 R D0481J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 05 02.93972813 32 18.98 +27 25 47.7         x18.7 R D0481J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 05 02.94175113 32 33.74 +27 25 42.6         x19.1 R D0481J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 07 04.97559819 25 25.84 -04 38 42.3         x18.0 R D0485J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 07 04.98116219 26 06.76 -04 46 11.1         x18.1 R D0485J95
     UE2A938 KC2013 07 04.98624719 26 44.23 -04 53 00.3         x18.2 R D0485J95
     UE2A938  C2014 01 26.24938 08 52 28.83 +23 17 11.4          18.0 V D0504703
     UE2A938  C2014 01 26.26139 08 53 10.62 +23 25 23.8          18.0 V D0504703
     UE2A938  C2014 01 26.26743 08 53 31.51 +23 29 30.5          17.9 V D0504703
     UE2A938  C2014 01 26.29686 08 55 10.78 +23 48 44.8          18.0 V D0504703
     UE2A938  C2014 01 26.29849 08 55 16.22 +23 49 47.0          18.2 V D0504703
     UE2A938  C2014 01 26.30012 08 55 21.64 +23 50 48.6          18.1 V D0504703
     UE2A938  C2014 01 26.30175 08 55 27.11 +23 51 50.4          18.0 V D0504703
IMP-7        KC2014 07 21.97845317 31 37.72 -01 10 36.0          18.4 R D0511J95
IMP-7        KC2014 07 21.98214217 31 56.61 -01 15 21.6          18.6 R D0511J95
IMP-7        KC2014 07 21.98724217 32 22.85 -01 21 55.5          18.4 R D0511J95
     UE2A938  C2015 01 20.38280 11 19 44.36 +40 18 46.3          19.4 V D0514703
     UE2A938  C2015 01 20.38786 11 20 00.95 +40 18 40.3          19.6 V D0514703
     UE2A938  C2015 01 20.39463 11 20 23.66 +40 18 25.5          19.5 V D0514703
     UE2A938  C2015 01 20.39969 11 20 40.06 +40 18 12.8                 D0514703
IMP7          C2015 11 20.26497 04 27 39.34 +21 56 18.2          17.5 V D0540703
IMP7          C2015 11 20.27606 04 28 24.68 +22 13 35.0          16.4 V D0540703
IMP7          C2015 11 20.28160 04 28 47.17 +22 22 09.1          17.1 V D0540703
IMP7         KC2016 02 18.81714509 25 29.10 +49 28 16.1          19.1 R D0541J95
IMP7         KC2016 02 18.82352709 26 03.59 +49 28 11.3          19.3 R D0541J95
IMP7         KC2016 02 18.82991909 26 37.76 +49 28 04.3          19.4 R D0541J95
1972-073A     C2016 09 2479AstrometryN,e!@cRo7l\DTNg(we^p^-EW[hhP[Yi0?Te_q=.cH21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24djasN!p:_@Rl?/M.wXC0G-OVMhMjwj.AR'n(dtA+L3J\:23r0Dt=H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24M*j15mwhTX]4:!/[`[Heqcw+5a)cY0m#%ls[j5y#=2xaHGsdWXS?H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24a=xLd!RiHL$8Bm:Aq1u)06+1%Ot](9yEkKdF#Sn)X`KKUFvfBZP2H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24e;ODj#\sp[ra`\a=jredacted;0GJL'YM$FI^P[#ldH6g*/]?\x%H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24:BbJCdNJF.wJ.b^[e*FgAgq*Kjf#o+=lGAi2p9XXj\fjDJc/QPmZH21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24rGGvp,mbSi,?9yQqj3]41anOptZB6[:]\jTh^puMofF7F4t4y5)NH21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24,W.`yyA:\W*6yB-uIcji?je$TTXj],Pnseeo6nn2bPiFAii(8Eb(H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24eRbP1=*i-AO76DM^l9Fw)lL5j(ERd0^L;oiy^PA4g12oI%.ok;t=H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24Qta3s9w*xIyGmx,Cste*,4Sevgh;_I5G\/:Ym8\l`OjFMd@lHVl2H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 243D*O*S+i'EN89@RheRo)La+RA;xxNfBX;f31/o12C#KdUm)-c2Y$H21
1972-073A     C2016 09 24qe3dxaPtsE!_2fo'Q[KT`icSrJp^]O/IOBg']q!1pVp(C?0NEOCPH21

Station data:
(300) Bisei Spaceguard Center-BATTeRS (N34.67201 E133.54444)  Japan.  1.0-m
    f/3.0 reflector + CCD.
(703) Catalina Sky Survey (N32.41712 W110.73264)  US/Arizona.   Observers E.
    J. Christensen, A. R. Gibbs, A. D. Grauer, R. E. Hill, J. A. Johnson, R. A.
    Kowalski, S. M. Larson, F. C. Shelly.  0.68 m Schmidt + CCD.
(H21) Astronomical Research Observatory, Westfield (N39.48311 W87.96827)  US/Illinois.
     0.76-m f/3.0 astrograph + CCD.
(J95) Great Shefford (N51.47502 W1.44700)  UK.   Observer P. Birtwhistle.
    0.40-m f/6.0 Schmidt-Cassegrain + CCD.

Orbital elements:  1972-073A = IMP-7 = NORAD 06197
   Perigee 2016 Sep 22.847638 +/- 2.3e-5 TT = 20:20:35 (JD 2457654.347638)
Epoch 2016 Sep 20.0 TT; AMR 0.0099047 +/- 0.000124 m2/kg     Find_Orb
M 279.462176 +/- 0.0006             (J2000 equatorial)
n  28.282328770 +/- 1.54e-5         Peri.  309.858935 +/- 0.0008
a230282.0367 +/- 0.0834             Node    24.224019 +/- 0.00035
e   0.20965552 +/- 3.15e-6          Incl.   55.229695 +/- 0.000056
P  12.73d                  H 30.7   G  0.15   U  5.3
q 182002.1356 +/- 0.707    Q 278561.9377 +/- 0.763
32 of 75 observations 2014 Jan. 26-2016 Sept. 24; mean residual 2".728

Orbital elements (near launch):  1972-073A = IMP-7 = NORAD 06197
   Perigee 1972 Sep 24.022516 +/- 2.63 TT; A1=2.24e-9, A2=1.29e-10
Epoch 1972 Sep 23.0 TT = JDT 2441583.5                        Find_Orb
M 329.870268 +/- 70                 (J2000 equatorial)
n  29.466276292 +/- 0.484           Peri.  184.951900 +/- 28
a224071.5242 +/- 2445               Node   246.762223 +/- 2.3
e   0.07324825 +/- 0.0557           Incl.   22.697733 +/- 0.7
P  12.22d                  H 31.1   G  0.15   U 12.3
q 207658.6756 +/- 10325    Q 240484.3727 +/- 14950
From 63 observations 2013 Mar. 12-2016 Feb. 18; mean residual 5".625

The NSSDC page for this object gives, at launch, i=17.2, e=.07564, perigee = 201,599 km, apogee = 235,639 km. Those are heights above ground, though; geocentric perigee and apogee would be about 207977 km and 242017 km, with a semimajor axis of 224997 km. So, not a perfect fit -- in particular, the mismatch in inclination bothers me a little -- but good enough so that I'm sure this is IMP-7.

Residuals in arcseconds: 
130312 703(32.5- 9.67-)   130405 J95(8.46- 2.12-)   140721 J95 .402- 1.03-
130312 703(32.2- 9.44-)   130405 J95(8.50- 1.98-)   140721 J95 .424- 0.99-
130312 703(32.5- 9.74-)   130405 J95(8.67- 2.08-)   140721 J95 .410- .038+
130312 703(32.7- 9.72-)   130405 J95(8.12- 1.82-)   150120 703 1.91+ 3.20-
130312 703(31.9- 11.0-)   130405 J95(8.62- 2.22-)   150120 703 2.14- 2.10-
130312 703(32.4- 9.68-)   130407 J95(8.39- .392-)   150120 703 .554+ 3.45-
130312 703(32.2- 9.28-)   130407 J95(8.18- .144-)   150120 703 2.46- 3.11-
130312 703(32.8- 9.59-)   130407 J95(8.20- .376-)   151120 703 1.19+ .121-
130312 703(33.2- 9.62-)   130407 J95(8.73- .704-)   151120 703 .180+ 2.37-
130312 703(32.5- 9.01-)   130419 J95(7.79+ .604+)   151120 703 .960+ 1.88-
130312 703(33.7- 10.1-)   130419 J95(7.70+ 1.10+)   160218 J95 1.97- 3.10-
130312 300(33.9- 9.52-)   130419 J95(8.31+ 1.06+)   160218 J95 2.19- 3.29-
130312 300(34.1- 9.21-)   130502 J95(11.5+ 1.47-)   160218 J95 1.91- 3.12-
130312 300(34.4- 8.90-)   130502 J95(12.0+ .621-)   160924 H21 1.50+ 4.82+
130312 300(34.7- 9.03-)   130502 J95(11.2+ .625-)   160924 H21 1.42+ 4.93+
130312 300(34.8- 9.01-)   130704 J95(74.0- 44.0+)   160924 H21 1.71+ 6.14+
130312 300(35.5- 9.42-)   130704 J95(75.1- 43.7+)   160924 H21 1.34+ 5.52+
130312 300(36.0- 9.62-)   130704 J95(73.7- 43.8+)   160924 H21 1.47+ 4.78+
130312 300(35.8- 8.57-)   140126 703 1.33+ 1.99-    160924 H21 1.58+ 4.53+
130312 300(35.4- 8.77-)   140126 703 1.07+ 2.79-    160924 H21 1.29+ 4.50+
130312 300(35.7- 9.65-)   140126 703 2.63+ .605-    160924 H21 1.17+ 4.30+
130313 J95(65.3- 5.92+)   140126 703 1.13+ 2.01-    160924 H21 1.80+ 5.24+
130313 J95(64.7- 6.09+)   140126 703 1.20+ 2.02-    160924 H21 1.59+ 4.79+
130313 J95(64.7- 6.23+)   140126 703 1.06+ 2.44-    160924 H21 1.50+ 4.67+
130313 J95(64.5- 6.20+)   140126 703 1.68+ 2.47-    160924 H21 1.21+ 4.89+

Ephemerides (geocentric):
Date (UTC) HH   RA              Dec         delta   r     elong  mag " sig PA
---- -- -- --  ------------   ------------  ------ ------ -----  --- ---- ---
2016 09 24 15  02 28 35.750   +18 00 18.75  205421 1.0040 141.0 18.0  8.7  35
2016 09 24 16  02 32 14.469   +19 09 15.18  206368 1.0040 139.8 18.0  8.6  36
2016 09 24 17  02 35 54.198   +20 17 17.48  207322 1.0040 138.6 18.1  8.5  36
2016 09 24 18  02 39 35.092   +21 24 25.07  208282 1.0040 137.4 18.1  8.4  36
2016 09 24 19  02 43 17.301   +22 30 37.41  209249 1.0039 136.3 18.1  8.3  37
2016 09 24 20  02 47 00.976   +23 35 54.00  210220 1.0039 135.1 18.2  8.3  37
2016 09 24 21  02 50 46.265   +24 40 14.33  211197 1.0039 133.9 18.2  8.2  38
2016 09 24 22  02 54 33.318   +25 43 37.95  212177 1.0038 132.7 18.3  8.1  38
2016 09 24 23  02 58 22.279   +26 46 04.39  213161 1.0038 131.5 18.3  8.0  39
2016 09 25 00  03 02 13.295   +27 47 33.22  214148 1.0038 130.3 18.4  8.0  39
2016 09 25 01  03 06 06.511   +28 48 03.98  215137 1.0038 129.2 18.4  7.9  40
2016 09 25 02  03 10 02.069   +29 47 36.24  216128 1.0037 128.0 18.4  7.8  40
2016 09 25 03  03 14 00.114   +30 46 09.58  217120 1.0037 126.9 18.5  7.7  41
2016 09 25 04  03 18 00.785   +31 43 43.54  218113 1.0037 125.7 18.5  7.7  41
2016 09 25 05  03 22 04.224   +32 40 17.69  219106 1.0036 124.6 18.6  7.6  42
2016 09 25 06  03 26 10.568   +33 35 51.58  220099 1.0036 123.5 18.6  7.5  43
2016 09 25 07  03 30 19.955   +34 30 24.75  221090 1.0036 122.3 18.7  7.5  43
2016 09 25 08  03 34 32.521   +35 23 56.71  222081 1.0035 121.2 18.7  7.4  44
2016 09 25 09  03 38 48.398   +36 16 26.98  223069 1.0035 120.1 18.7  7.3  45
2016 09 25 10  03 43 07.716   +37 07 55.05  224056 1.0035 119.0 18.8  7.2  45
2016 09 25 11  03 47 30.604   +37 58 20.39  225040 1.0034 117.9 18.8  7.2  46
2016 09 25 12  03 51 57.184   +38 47 42.46  226020 1.0034 116.9 18.9  7.1  47
2016 09 25 13  03 56 27.577   +39 36 00.69  226998 1.0034 115.8 18.9  7.0  48
2016 09 25 14  04 01 01.899   +40 23 14.48  227971 1.0033 114.7 18.9  7.0  48
2016 09 25 15  04 05 40.260   +41 09 23.24  228940 1.0033 113.7 19.0  6.9  49
2016 09 25 16  04 10 22.763   +41 54 26.31  229905 1.0033 112.6 19.0  6.9  50
2016 09 25 17  04 15 09.507   +42 38 23.04  230864 1.0032 111.6 19.1  6.8  51
2016 09 25 18  04 20 00.582   +43 21 12.75  231819 1.0032 110.5 19.1  6.7  52
2016 09 25 19  04 24 56.069   +44 02 54.75  232767 1.0032 109.5 19.2  6.7  53
2016 09 25 20  04 29 56.040   +44 43 28.30  233710 1.0031 108.5 19.2  6.6  54
2016 09 25 21  04 35 00.557   +45 22 52.66  234646 1.0031 107.5 19.2  6.6  55
2016 09 25 22  04 40 09.670   +46 01 07.09  235576 1.0031 106.5 19.3  6.5  56
2016 09 25 23  04 45 23.418   +46 38 10.80  236498 1.0030 105.5 19.3  6.4  57
2016 09 26 00  04 50 41.823   +47 14 03.01  237414 1.0030 104.5 19.4  6.4  58
2016 09 26 01  04 56 04.897   +47 48 42.95  238322 1.0029 103.5 19.4  6.3  59
2016 09 26 02  05 01 32.631   +48 22 09.80  239222 1.0029 102.5 19.4  6.3  60
2016 09 26 03  05 07 05.002   +48 54 22.80  240115 1.0029 101.5 19.5  6.2  61
2016 09 26 04  05 12 41.968   +49 25 21.14  240999 1.0028 100.6 19.5  6.2  62
2016 09 26 05  05 18 23.469   +49 55 04.05  241875 1.0028  99.6 19.6  6.1  63
2016 09 26 06  05 24 09.424   +50 23 30.78  242741 1.0028  98.7 19.6  6.1  65