Rotation Period

09 Jul 2021 = 31.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
10 Jul 2021 = 46.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
11 Jul 2021 = 65.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
12 Jul 2021 = 380 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
13 Jul 2021 = 550 seconds (from WOD Solar panel temperatures)
14 Jul 2021 = 270 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
15 Jul 2021 = 230 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

Special thanks to Terry VK5GU and Colin VK3HBF for their continued assistance with downloads this week.
At the start of this monitoring period AO-73 continued to perform in an unstable spin attitude with AO-73 rotating about the Z-Z axis but with a variable rotation about AO-73’s offset Centre of Mass. As noted last week AO-73 the rotation period about the Centre of Mass had been noted to be in the range, 450 to 600 seconds.
On the 12th July the motion about the Centre of Mass “consolidated” as AO-73’s rotation about the Z-Z axis.
The graphic from the 5th July

The graphic from the 12th July

and the latest graphic from the 15th July

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

02 Jul 2021 = 18.4 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
03 Jul 2021 = 21.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
04 Jul 2021 = 22.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
05 Jul 2021 = 22.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
06 Jul 2021 = 24.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
07 Jul 2021 = 25.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
08 Jul 2021 = 29.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

Special thanks to Terry VK5GU and Colin VK3HBF for their continued assistance with downloads this week.
AO-73 continues to perform in an unstable spin attitude. The spin attitude is a complex solution that comprises AO-73 rotating about the Z-Z axis but with a variable rotation about AO-73’s offset Centre of Mass. During this past week the rotation about the Centre of Mass has had a rotation period of 450 to 600 seconds.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

25 Jun 2021 = 17.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
26 Jun 2021 = 16.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
27 Jun 2021 = 16.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
28 Jun 2021 = 15.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
29 Jun 2021 = 15.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
30 Jun 2021 = 16.4 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
01 Jul 2021 = 16.4 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

Special thanks to Terry VK5GU and Colin VK3HBF for their continued assistance with downloads this week.
AO-73 this week has entered into an unstable spin state. It has been very difficult to establish the spin rate and attitude.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

18 Jun 2021 = 23.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
19 Jun 2021 = 21.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
20 Jun 2021 = 21.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
21 Jun 2021 = 20.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
22 Jun 2021 = 19.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
23 Jun 2021 = 18.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
24 Jun 2021 = 17.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

Special thanks to Terry VK5GU and Colin VK3HBF for their continued assistance with downloads this week.
AO-73 continues to rotate in the reverse spin direction about the Z-Z axis with a very slow stable rotation about AO-73’s offset Centre of Mass.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

11 Jun 2021 = 40.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
12 Jun 2021 = 37.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
13 Jun 2021 = 34.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
14 Jun 2021 = 32.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
15 Jun 2021 = 39.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
16 Jun 2021 = 27.4 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
17 Jun 2021 = 25.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

Special thanks to Terry VK5GU and Colin VK3HBF for their continued assistance with downloads this week.
AO-73 continues to rotate in the reverse spin direction about the Z-Z axis with a slow relatively stable rotation about AO-73’s offset Centre of Mass.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

28 May 2021 = 16.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
29 May 2021 = 18.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
30 May 2021 = 19.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
31 May 2021
01 Jun 2021 = 23.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
02 Jun 2021 = 25.4 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
03 Jun 2021 = 32.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

21 May 2021 = 16.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
22 May 2021 = 15.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
23 May 2021 = 15.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
24 May 2021 = 15.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
25 May 2021 = 14.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
26 May 2021 = 14.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
27 May 2021 = 15.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 again reverted back to rotating about the Z-Z axis in the normal spin direction on 23rdth May.
This week AO-73 has remained rotating about the Z-Z axis with stable spin coupled with minimal
secondary rotation about AO-73’s offset centre of mass.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

14 May 2021 = 19.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
15 May 2021 = 21.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
16 May 2021 = 21.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
17 May 2021 = 22.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
18 May 2021 = 21.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
19 May 2021 = 20.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
20 May 2021 = 18.2 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 reverted back to rotating about the Z-Z axis in the reverse spin direction on 15th May.
This week AO-73 has been rotating about the Z-Z axis with stable spin coupled with minimal
secondary rotation about AO-73’s offset centre of mass.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

07 May 2021 = 15.0 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
08 May 2021 = 14.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
09 May 2021 = 14.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
10 May 2021 = 14.7 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
11 May 2021 = 15.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
12 May 2021 = 15.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
13 May 2021 = 16.9 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 reverted back to rotating about the Z-Z axis in the normal spin direction on 7th May.
This week we have noted the Z-Z axis exhibiting quite large periodic secondary rotation about AO-73’s offset centre of mass.
This is highlighted in the following graphic downloaded over VK on the 13th May.

73 de Colin VK5HI.

Rotation Period

30 Apr 2021 = 21.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
01 May 2021 = 20.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
02 May 2021 = 18.3 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
03 May 2021 = 17.1 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
04 May 2021 = 15.5 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
05 May 2021 = 14.8 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)
06 May 2021 = 14.6 seconds (from averaged panel temperatures)

AO-73 continues to rotate about the Z-Z axis in reverse of its normal spin direction, with the Z-Z axis maintaining an irregular movement about AO-73’s offset centre of mass.

73 de Colin VK5HI.