Could #Change5 be in a Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) of the Moon pulling off a space first?
CE5 is ~15deg east of the Moon suggesting it is ~100000km distant from the Moon. I made a model DRO in GMAT seeded it with a start from EM-L2 around 2021-12-01 00:00 UTC, Hmmm... (1/n)
CE5 is ~15deg east of the Moon suggesting it is ~100000km distant from the Moon. I made a model DRO in GMAT seeded it with a start from EM-L2 around 2021-12-01 00:00 UTC, Hmmm... (1/n)
Examining papers on the upcoming #NASA SLS EM-1 mission that will use a DRO reveals the geometry somewhat fits the limited observations we have of #Change5 since it was recovered a couple of days ago. (2/n) SOURCE: ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/…
Range estimates based on SNR of #Change5 X-band signal appear to be consistent with it being approximately at a lunar distance. If it is in a DRO this would be a first scoping the upcoming #NASA SLS EM-1 mission.
https://twitter.com/coastal8049/status/1479969317764534275(3/n)
#Change5 Doppler data will also be very helpful to see what the spacecraft is doing now. After a few days of monitoring we should have enough of a trend to get a sense of the orbit type. Thus far the raw Doppler is unremarkable and not demonstrating a close lunar orbit. (4/n)
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