Jim Oberg reports from the FPSPACE list observations of Suitsat coming apart.
I wonder why?

Message: 3
Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2006 14:31:24 -0600
From: "Jim Oberg" <joberg@houston.rr.com>
Subject: [FPSPACE] Suitsat visually observed, and also sheds debris
To: <fpspace@friends-partners.org>

Suitsat visually observed, and also sheds debris

An object that NORAD is calling 2005-35D (obj # 28934) appears to have broken
off the Suitsat two and a half days after deployment. It seems to have been
identified about three days later, and the first bulletin was issued the following
day. It's big enough to show up on radar, presumably, so what potential pieces
of the Suitsat assembly might possibly work themselves loose in the days AFTER
it was jettisoned?

Meanwhile, Suitsat has been visually observed by the sharp eyes at SeeSat.
Here are two of the descriptions reprinted (credit to the original observers):

Tony Beresford (dberesford@adam.com.au) Date: Fri Feb 10 2006 - 06:34:32 EST

This local evening at 10:47:09.8 I observed Suitsat, using predictions
generated by heavens-above I found it faint but visible in 7x50 binoculars, magnitude
6.7 at a range of 465Km. This observation At the time the objects elevation was 48
degrees.

It was just on nautical twilight. to be careful I ran FINDSAT on the observation
and found no other objects within 20 seconds.

Tony Beresford // 8597, -34.9638,138.6333E, 100m

Michael Waterman (mike.waterman@web-hq.com) Date: Fri Feb 10 2006 - 17:03:41
EST

Suitsat observed 060210 morning, mag 6 to 8 varying irregularly
with period around 5 secs, at 480km, poor phase.

0503503211506021005192057 020 13181065 +3308 008 5 +60+80 I

0503503211506021005194678 020 13185361 +2238 006 5

U.K. Format: http://www.satobs.org/position/UKformat.html

Mike Waterman mike.waterman@web-hq.com

Site Yateley = COSPAR 2115 = 51.3286N 0.7950W 75m (reference OSGB36).