The latest prediction from Jim N8OQ is that the amateur radio satellite ARISSat-1 will re-enter the Earths atmosphere in January.
On the AMSAT bulletin board Jim says “Using solar data through 2011 Nov. 30 and updating the decay fit. I am getting a re-entry date of 2012 January 12 with a rule-of-thumb error estimate of +/- 10 days or so for ARISSat-1.”
Since deployment in August, ARISSat-1 has descended about 60 km, and is currently losing more than 1.5 km per day. The rapid rate is partially the result of the recent solar activity on the atmosphere, significantly increasing the drag.
AMSAT wishes to collect telemetry data from the satellite as it approaches re-entry and is running a competition to see who can copy the final telemetry frames. Further details of the Catch the Last ARISSat-1 Telemetry Contest at
http://www.uk.amsat.org/2011/11/09/catch-the-last-arissat-1-telemetry/
ARISSat-1 http://www.arissat-1.org/
Online pass predictions (select ARISSat-1) http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/
Download the Windows and Mac versions of the ARISSatTLM free ground station soundcard demodulator and display software from http://www.arissattlm.org/
ARISSat-1 Frequency Guide http://tinyurl.com/4t497t2
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