[IGSMAIL-5738]: ILRS tracking of PRN05 & 06

[Jim.Ray]

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IGS Electronic Mail      18 Mar 10:07:21 PDT 2008      Message Number 5738
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Author: Mike Pearlman (forward by Jim Ray)


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SLR Electronic Mail      Tue Mar 18 17:46:58 CET 2008       Message No. 1650
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Author: Mike Pearlman
Subject: GPS-35 and -36 Tracking Campaign

Dear Colleagues:

The GPS-35 and -36 satellites will soon be decommissioned. They will
continue to operate for a while, but they will not be used in the GPS
navigation complex. These are the only GPS satellites that have
retroreflectors and this may be our last chance to acquire a good set
of GPS data for long term studies, system comparisons, and reference
frame support.

The ILRS Governing Board has approved an intensive tracking campaign
on GPS-35 and -36 running from March 25 through May 31. The priority
on GPS-35 and -36 will be raised to follow the Lageos Satellites. Pass
segments should be 15 minutes (3 normal points) with 3 segments
spread out over the pass to the extent possible.

Viewing schedules show that nighttime passes will be visible for GPS-
35 in Europe, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Eastern Australia, Tahiti
and the Western US during this period.

Nighttime passes for GPS-36 should be visible from Asia, South
America, Australia and Eastern US.

If you think you can get any daylight data, please try. It would
certainly be very helpful, but don't spend too much time on it.

The GPS Satellites are challenging targets, but it is very important
to do the best we can to provide an SLR data set that will be
available for future analysis.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck,

Mike Pearlman
Director
ILRS Central Bureau


Dr. Michael R. Pearlman
Harvard-Smithsonian
Center for Astrophysics
60 Garden St.
Cambridge MA 02138
tel. (617) 495-7481
fax. (617) 496-0121
e-mail. mpearlman at cfa.harvard.edu

From: "Mike Pearlman" <mpearlman at cfa.harvard.edu>
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