Midas 9 or what?

Greetings to the group,

I am looking for some help with an observation I made back on April 16th of
this year. The details of the observation is this:

Midas 9
1 02481U 66089A 04108.06025463 +.00000002 +00000-0 +10000-3 0 05872
2 02481 089.7871 113.6136 0032287 103.0646 287.8596 08.59247055177487
I saw it, with binoculars, moving S to N, below and left of Elnath, on April
16, 2004 at about 8:27:00 pm (+ or - 15 seconds) CDT. I saw it flare to a
magnitude of -1.

My question is why is there a difference in both name and number and
international designation for each of the satellites listed below?

In Mccants.tle the following is listed:

Midas 6 00574U 63014A

Midas 7 00622U 63030A

Midas 9 02481U 66089A

In the Satellite Catalogue from Jonathan McDowells web page, the following
is listed:

Midas 7 00574U 63014A

Midas 9 00622U 63030A

FTV 1353 02481U 66089A

Thanks for any help in understanding the above mystery (at least to me!)

Bill Arnold

says...

My question is why is there a difference in both name and number and
international designation for each of the satellites listed below?

In Mccants.tle the following is listed:

Midas 6 00574U 63014A
Midas 7 00622U 63030A
Midas 9 02481U 66089A

In the Satellite Catalogue from Jonathan McDowells web page, the
following is listed:

Midas 7 00574U 63014A
Midas 9 00622U 63030A
FTV 1353 02481U 66089A

I'm not sure of the entire explanation, but I'm pretty sure that
the names in Mike's elements files are drawn from the latest
Satellite Situation Report which NASA Orbital Information Group
produces or distributes.

To add to the confusion, this article, in the section "Improved
Midas", says that all three of them have at least three different
names, including "Midas 1", "Midas 2", and "Midas 3"!

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app3/s-3.html

It's bound to be just a matter of historical evolution, who was
talking about them in what context, etc.

I'm pretty sure that I've seen Midas 9 brighten, but not that
bright. That's a great observation!

Ed Cannon - - Austin, Texas, USA
(Remove "donotspam".)

says...

My question is why is there a difference in both name and number and
international designation for each of the satellites listed below?

In Mccants.tle the following is listed:

Midas 6 00574U 63014A
Midas 7 00622U 63030A
Midas 9 02481U 66089A

In the Satellite Catalogue from Jonathan McDowells web page, the
following is listed:

Midas 7 00574U 63014A
Midas 9 00622U 63030A
FTV 1353 02481U 66089A

I'm not sure of the entire explanation, but I'm pretty sure that
the names in Mike's elements files are drawn from the latest
Satellite Situation Report which NASA Orbital Information Group
produces or distributes.

To add to the confusion, this article, in the section "Improved
Midas", says that all three of them have at least three different
names, including "Midas 1", "Midas 2", and "Midas 3"!

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app3/s-3.html

It's bound to be just a matter of historical evolution, who was
talking about them in what context, etc.

I'm pretty sure that I've seen Midas 9 brighten, but not that
bright. That's a great observation!

Ed Cannon - - Austin, Texas, USA
(Remove "donotspam".)