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Mars Pathfinder Launch Ascent Tracking and Observation


We received the following inquiry recently:

"I work with a world wide network of amateur observers who would be more than interested (given the opportunity) in observing Pathfinder whilst in low Earth orbit and during the initial stage of the cruise from Earth to Mars (various members track various geostationary and even interplanetary vehicles at times).

"Basically I'm looking for EME J2000 state vectors which I can precess and deosculate into SGP/SGP4 mean element sets (SGP/SGP4 is the low Earth orbit propagation model used by US Space Command/NORAD and by NASA JSC for issuing element sets for the shuttle to amateur observers - this model is widely used in home tracking software)."

So, shown below are the J2000 Cartesian and classical elements for each "mark event" during the Mars Pathfinder launch ascent. Good luck observing!

Data courtesy of Dave Spencer, Mars Pathfinder Entry Trajectory and Navigation Team Member

Main Engine Cutoff
7:13:31.784 UTC

Position and Velocity Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

X Distance

-1463.51121000000

km

Y Distance

5556.37047000000

km

Z Distance

3017.59905000000

km

X Velocity

-6.16701700000000

km/sec

Y Velocity

-.678483999999999

km/sec

Z Velocity

0.463290000000000

km/sec

Main Engine Cutoff
7:13:31.784 UTC

Classical Orbital Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

Semi-major Axis

4738.08826369957

km

Eccentricity

0.380270927270424

Inclination

28.6886964977004

degree

Node Angle

-1.56457690274954

degree

Arg of Periapsis

-66.5257284426162

degree

Mean Anomaly

161.415248363027

degree

Second Engine Cutoff-1 (SECO-1)
7:18:39.492 UTC

Position and Velocity Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

X Distance

-3435.09561000000

km

Y Distance

4928.88419000000

km

Z Distance

2642.65193000000

km

X Velocity

-6.63945700000000

km/sec

Y Velocity

-3.53021200000000

km/sec

Z Velocity

-2.04611500000000

km/sec

Second Engine Cutoff-1 (SECO-1)
7:18:39.492 UTC

Classical Orbital Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

Semi-major Axis

6563.33634216284

km

Eccentricity

0.143960292246540E-06

Inclination

28.7298637945968

degree

Node Angle

-1.76194313960540

degree

Arg of Periapsis

-115.334698592281

degree

Mean Anomaly

-121.557282632713

degree

Second Engine Cutoff-2 (SECO-2)
8:17:09.121 UTC

Position and Velocity Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

X Distance

6551.47265000000

km

Y Distance

59.1673399999999

km

Z Distance

160.834760000000

km

X Velocity

-.178974000000000

km/sec

Y Velocity

7.43424500000001

km/sec

Z Velocity

4.07454800000000

km/sec

Second Engine Cutoff-2 (SECO-2)
8:17:09.121 UTC

Classical Orbital Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

Semi-major Axis

8013.82047225981

km

Eccentricity

0.182203735140544

Inclination

28.7623779038017

degree

Node Angle

-2.04585668297056

degree

Arg of Periapsis

3.44090646257341

degree

Mean Anomaly

-.351954105404022

degree

Injection (TECO)
8:20:07.211 UTC

Position and Velocity Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

X Distance

6357.25309000000

km

Y Distance

1462.16719000000

km

Z Distance

926.754370000000

km

X Velocity

-2.27206100000000

km/sec

Y Velocity

9.84686400000000

km/sec

Z Velocity

5.36052900000000

km/sec

Injection (TECO)
8:20:07.211 UTC

Classical Orbital Elements

Earth centered, Earth equator and equinox of J2000

Semi-major Axis

-40410.5060808825

km

Eccentricity

1.16239852847423

Inclination

28.7775241325488

degree

Node Angle

-2.03805966992218

degree

Arg of Periapsis

10.0240860383475

degree

Mean Anomaly

0.310766652935716

degree

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