Suitsat visually observed, and also sheds debris


An object that NORAD is calling 2005-35D (obj # 28934) appears to have
broken off
the Suitsat two and a half days after deployment. It seems to have been
identified about
three days later, and the first bulletin was issued the following day. It's
big enough to
show up on radar, presumably, so what potential pieces of the Suitsat
assembly
might possibly work themselves loose in the days AFTER it was jettisoned?


Meanwhile, Suitsat has been visually observed by the sharp eyes at SeeSat.
Here

are two of the descriptions reprinted (credit to the original observers):




Tony Beresford ) Date: Fri Feb 10 2006 - 06:34:32
EST

This local evening at 10:47:09.8 I observed Suitsat, using predictions
generated

by heavens-above I found it faint but visible in 7x50 binoculars, magnitude
6.7

at a range of 465Km. This observation At the time the objects elevation was
48 degrees.

It was just on nautical twilight. to be careful I ran FINDSAT on the
observation

and found no other objects within 20 seconds.

Tony Beresford // 8597, -34.9638,138.6333E, 100m



Michael Waterman ) Date: Fri Feb 10 2006 -
17:03:41 EST

Suitsat observed 060210 morning, mag 6 to 8 varying irregularly

with period around 5 secs, at 480km, poor phase.

0503503211506021005192057 020 13181065 +3308 008 5 +60+80
I

0503503211506021005194678 020 13185361 +2238 006 5

U.K. Format: http://www.satobs.org/position/UKformat.html

Mike Waterman

Site Yateley = COSPAR 2115 = 51.3286N 0.7950W 75m (reference OSGB36).