AO-73 : Funcube-1

Rotation Period

04 Dec 2020 = 2655 seconds (from WOD panel temperatures)
05 Dec 2020 = 2760 seconds (from WOD panel temperatures) Reverse Spin
06 Dec 2020 = 3735 seconds (from WOD panel temperatures) Reverse Spin
07 Dec 2020 = 4500 seconds (from WOD panel temperatures) Best Estimate
08 Dec 2020 = 4200 seconds (from WOD panel temperatures) Best Estimate
09 Dec 2020 = 3300 seconds (from WOD panel temperatures) Best Estimate
10 Dec 2020 = 2153 seconds (from WOD panel temperatures)

This week’s analysis has indeed been very interesting.
For December 4th to 6th I used 24hour WOD’s supplied by Dave from the Warehouse Data to ascertain what was occurring with AO-73.
Late on the UTC day of the 4th AO-73 went into an attitude that indicated it was rotating about the Z-Z axis but the Z-Z axis was inclined at an angle to the normal direction of travel such that the -X and +Y planes were more illuminated than the +x and -Y planes. (Supposition on my part. Alternate theories welcome.)
Then later on the UTC day of the 5th December AO-73 resumed a more normal attitude but with reverse spin. Refer graphic below.

For the 7th to 9th December I have only had the retrieved WOD’s from the real-time telemetry to work with, hence my theoretical best estimates as AO-73 appears to have been in this complex attitude.
Fortunately the download over VK for the 10th December shows AO-73 has again stabilised with normal spin about the Z-Z axis. (Graphic below)

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Leave a Reply