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TLEs – Classification
This post is part of a series on understanding the meaning behind the values contained in a Two Line Element set, or Keplerian Elements. The main article is here. Classification This is a one character string designating the…
Read More »TLEs – Satellite Number
This post is part of a series on understanding the meaning behind the values contained in a Two Line Element set, or Keplerian Elements. The main article is here. Satellite Number This is a distinct incremental value is…
Read More »TLEs – Line Number
This post is part of a series on understanding the meaning behind the values contained in a Two Line Element set, or Keplerian Elements. The main article is here. Line Number Did you really need detail on this…
Read More »TLEs – Satellite Name
This post is part of a series on understanding the meaning behind the values contained in a Two Line Element set, or Keplerian Elements. The main article is here. Satellite Name Did you really need detail on this…
Read More »Space Station Debris Collision Sensationalism
Just a few minutes ago, the crew of the International Space Station were evacuated to a Soyuz capsule (for possible emergency reentry back to earth) due to the risk of a piece of orbital debris striking the station….
Read More »Satellite Collision graphics in 3D
After posting my kmz file of the Satellite Collision Debris, Tom Wagner of Iowa turned it into a 3D image. The picture has been published on spaceweather.com. Here is the image (links to spaceweather.com post).
Read More »Understanding Satellite Two Line Element Sets
(This page is a work in progress. It will be complete once all of the individual values are described in full.) The orbital elements of the satellites tracked by NORAD are supplied in a “Two Line Element” format….
Read More »Satellite Collision – Google Earth KMZ File
Including the original two satellites, the collision between COSMOS 2251 and IRIDIUM 33 has so far resulted in 514 pieces of debris. these are slowly spreading out around the planet. I’ve created a google earth file of the…
Read More »OCO Satellite Launch Failure
About 9:00am this morning I was online watching the live launch of OCO, the orbiting carbon observatory. It was launched at 9:55am and initially looked like a nice launch. Within minutes the payload fairing failed to separate (The…
Read More »Two satellites collide in orbit – Update
Following on from my post a few days ago, some of the pieces of debris have now been catalogued. So far, pieces 33757U through to 33770U (14 pieces) have been logged for Cosmos 2251, and pieces 33771U through…
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