UK satellite query

Someone asked a question about a British satellite that is apparently still
visible to the naked eye.
Anyone able to help?
This is part of his message...


....It is but, looking for a 30 year old UK launched satellite [that's still
in orbit and transmitting] when you don't have a clue what the name is
or the exact year it was launched is, well, tricky to say the least.

--
Gareth Slee

I think it's either called Profumo or Harold Wilson ;)

Gareth Slee wrote:
Someone asked a question about a British satellite that is apparently still
visible to the naked eye.
Anyone able to help?
This is part of his message...


...It is but, looking for a 30 year old UK launched satellite [that's still
in orbit and transmitting] when you don't have a clue what the name is
or the exact year it was launched is, well, tricky to say the least.

--
Gareth Slee

Rich Godwin wrote:
I think it's either called Profumo

Almost right - Prospero!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospero_X-3

Cruithne3753 wrote:

Rich Godwin wrote:
I think it's either called Profumo

Almost right - Prospero!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospero_X-3


Great, thanks!

--
Gareth Slee

In message , Gareth Slee
writes
Someone asked a question about a British satellite that is apparently still
visible to the naked eye.
Anyone able to help?
This is part of his message...


...It is but, looking for a 30 year old UK launched satellite [that's still
in orbit and transmitting] when you don't have a clue what the name is
or the exact year it was launched is, well, tricky to say the least.


A quick look at Heavens Above tells me that UOSAT 12 has a maximum
brightness of 5.4 and so is possibly visible to the unaided eye.
Nothing else looks very likely, because the Ariel satellites have all
decayed and most of the rest are very small or in geostationary orbit.
The list at http://www.astronautix.com/country/uk.htm seems
comprehensive.

Cruithne3753 wrote:

Rich Godwin wrote:
I think it's either called Profumo

Almost right - Prospero!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospero_X-3

Right. Checking the SeeSat archive, it's apparently quite faint
ordinarily but occasionally does a modest Iridium-like flare when a
surface catches the sun just right.

Rich Godwin wrote:

I think it's either called Profumo or Harold Wilson ;)



Photographs....candid photographs?
Nudge-nudge!
Say no more.
She's a goer, mate!:
http://www.arne-jacobsen.com/site_di...400/aj0413.jpg
:-)

Pat

Jonathan Silverlight wrote:


A quick look at Heavens Above tells me that UOSAT 12 has a maximum
brightness of 5.4 and so is possibly visible to the unaided eye.
Nothing else looks very likely, because the Ariel satellites have all
decayed and most of the rest are very small or in geostationary orbit.
The list at http://www.astronautix.com/country/uk.htm seems
comprehensive.


This would be a good place to put up the link to NASA's J-Track 3D
website, which gives one the ability to turn your computer into
something like Space Command's Big Board; with hoards of satellite's
orbits and positions being displayed in real time:
http://science.nasa.gov/Realtime/jtr.../JTrack3d.html

Pat

In message
(Gareth Slee) wrote:

Someone asked a question about a British satellite that is apparently still
visible to the naked eye.
Anyone able to help?
This is part of his message...

...It is but, looking for a 30 year old UK launched satellite [that's still
in orbit and transmitting] when you don't have a clue what the name is
or the exact year it was launched is, well, tricky to say the least.

It was covered in the first episode of the new series of "Coast" last
week. One segment covered the engine test stands on the Isle of Wight
and side tracked onto Black Arrow and Prospero. Hearing the transmitter
during a daylight pass worked, trying to get a look at it with
binoculars at night didn't.

Anthony

more on Black Arrow:

http://spaceuk.org/ba/blackarrow.htm

Nicholas Hill

In message
(Gareth Slee) wrote:

Someone asked a question about a British satellite that is apparently still
visible to the naked eye.
Anyone able to help?
This is part of his message...

...It is but, looking for a 30 year old UK launched satellite [that's still
in orbit and transmitting] when you don't have a clue what the name is
or the exact year it was launched is, well, tricky to say the least.

It was covered in the first episode of the new series of "Coast" last
week. One segment covered the engine test stands on the Isle of Wight
and side tracked onto Black Arrow and Prospero. Hearing the transmitter
during a daylight pass worked, trying to get a look at it with
binoculars at night didn't.

Anthony