09 Oct 2020 = 162.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
10 Oct 2020 = 116.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
11 Oct 2020 = 163.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
12 Oct 2020 = 170.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
13 Oct 2020 = 153.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
14 Oct 2020 = 158.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
15 Oct 2020 = 145.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

On the 9th October AO-73 “snapped out” of its complex attitude and motion and resumed a stable motion and attitude about the Z-Z axis, albeit the spin direction being in the reverse direction.
It has retained this spin direction since the 9th October.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period
02 Oct 2020 = 25.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
03 Oct 2020 = 30.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
04 Oct 2020 = 39.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
05 Oct 2020 = 65.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
06 Oct 2020 = 81.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
07 Oct 2020 = 77.3 seconds (from Sun Sensor Data)
08 Oct 2020 = 86.9 seconds (from Sun Sensor Data)

AO-73 continues to exhibit a very complex attitude and motion.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

25 Sep 2020 = 16.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
26 Sep 2020 = 15.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
27 Sep 2020 = 15.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
28 Sep 2020 = 16.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
29 Sep 2020 = 18.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
30 Sep 2020 = 22.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
01 Oct 2020 = 25.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

During this last week on some of the downloads over VK we have observed the Dzhanibekov Effect where the spin motion of AO-73 has reversed back and forth during a single pass. Additionally the spin motion has been either normal or reversed on consecutive passes.
AO-73 is now exhibiting a very complex attitude and motion, refer graphic below.

73 de Colin VK5HI

Rotation Period

18 Sep 2020 = 20.4 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
19 Sep 2020 = 20.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
20 Sep 2020 = 20.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
21 Sep 2020 = 19.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
22 Sep 2020 = 18.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
23 Sep 2020 = 17.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
24 Sep 2020 = 16.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 is now spinning about Z-Z axis with significant levels of Nutation.
73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

11 Sep 2020 = 31.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
12 Sep 2020 = 30.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
13 Sep 2020 = 27.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
14 Sep 2020 = 25.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
15 Sep 2020 = 24.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
16 Sep 2020 = 22.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
17 Sep 2020 = 21.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 is now in full sun until April 13th 2021.
Satellite is now spinning about Z-Z axis with significant levels of Nutation.
73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

04 Sep 2020 = 51.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
05 Sep 2020 = 47.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
06 Sep 2020 = 44.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
07 Sep 2020 = 41.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
08 Sep 2020 = 38.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
09 Sep 2020 = 36.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
10 Sep 2020 = 33.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 is now in full sun until April 13th 2021.
Satellite is now spinning about Z-Z axis with significant levels of Nutation.
73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

28 Aug 2020 = 90.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
29 Aug 2020 = 82.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
30 Aug 2020 = 74.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
31 Aug 2020 = 69.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
01 Sep 2020 = 64.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
02 Sep 2020 = 59.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
03 Sep 2020 = 54.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 is now in full sun until April 13th 2021.
Satellite is now spinning about Z-Z axis with increasing levels of Nutation.
73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

21 Aug 2020 = 163.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
22 Aug 2020 = 159.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
23 Aug 2020 = 159.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
24 Aug 2020 = 148.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
25 Aug 2020 = 134.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
26 Aug 2020 = 110.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
27 Aug 2020 = 99.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 is now in full sun until April 13th 2021.
Satellite is now spinning about Z-Z axis with a moderate level of Nutation.
73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

14 Aug 2020 = 477.5 seconds (from WOD data)
15 Aug 2020 = 392.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
16 Aug 2020 = 323.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
17 Aug 2020 = 279.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
18 Aug 2020 = 239.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
19 Aug 2020 = 207.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
20 Aug 2020 = 181.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 is now in full sun until April 13th 2021.
Satellite is now spinning about Z-Z axis in a very stable attitude.
73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

31 Jul 2020 = 1155.0 seconds (from WOD data)
01 Aug 2020 = 2430.0 seconds (from WOD data)
02 Aug 2020 = 647.1 seconds (from WOD data)
03 Aug 2020 = 589.0 seconds (from WOD data)
04 Aug 2020 = 865.0 seconds (from WOD data)
05 Aug 2020 = 3480.0 seconds (from WOD data)
06 Aug 2020 = 2160.0 seconds (from WOD data)
07 Aug 2020 = 3600.0 seconds (from WOD data)
08 Aug 2020 = TBA
09 Aug 2020 = TBA
10 Aug 2020 = 2505.0 seconds (from WOD data)
11 Aug 2020 = 1176.0 seconds (from WOD data)
12 Aug 2020 = 823.6 seconds (from WOD data)
13 Aug 2020 = 601.7 seconds (from WOD data)

Just updated last week’s figures for completeness and correctness.
AO-73 is now in full sun until April 13th 2021.
Satellite is now spinning about Z-Z axis in a very stable attitude.
73 de Colin VK5HI.