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 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`

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 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-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 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`

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 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`

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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