10-04-2020, 10:26 AM
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Cardstock Designer
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Nikiski, Alaska
Posts: 353
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanel
I think you are referring to J002E3, which is almost certainly the Apollo 12 S-IVB. It escaped Earth orbit in June 2003, and is expected to return in the mid-2040’s. Can’t be more precise than this, because we did not get enough observations before it became too faint to see (only a 114 day arc) and because the solar radiation pressure is not constant in time, but rather changes with its position around the sun (empty rocket bodies are strongly affected by non-gravs).
Sorry we can’t answer your question - the uncertainties in its orbit are just too great.
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Yes, thinking it is the Apollo 12, in the book Lost Moon, read that the Apollo 13 was the first to crash into the moon, so the instruments left during the 12 mission could measure the "quake" and determine the moons density. Future S-IVB were handled the same way.
Wonder where the Apollo 11 S-IVB is at?
Thank you for the info, looking forward to 2040 something now.
Mike
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