[FPSPACE] Is "2010 AL30" the Russian Fregat that launched Venus Express?

[James Oberg]

2010 AL30 UPDATE: An orbital analysis by Michael Khan of the European Space Agency suggests that 2010 AL30 could be the Fregat upper stage of the Soyuz launch vehicle that launched the Venus Express probe in Nov. 2005: 

   Close Asteroid Encounter Tomorrow

   http://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/go-for-launch/content/about

   from Michael Khan, 12. January 2010, 18:56 

   Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 13, 2010, a small asteroid called 2010 AL 30 (presumed diameter 10-15 meters) will buzz the Earth at just 1/3 of the lunar distance. The point of closest approach will be passed around 13:00 MT (14:00 CET).   



,snip>



   From the known approach conditions of Venus Express to Venus one can derive that a target point close above the planet's north pole, as was chosen in that mission, would lead to a deflection of an inert body on the same trajectory, such as the spent Fregat stage, that has a period of 1 year with perihelion and aphelion distances of 0.7 and 1.3 AU, respectively. These orbital parameters closely coincide with those of object 2010 AL30.  

   Obviously this does not constitute proof. But I would say that we have a surprisingly long chain of unusual coincidences here. Wouldn't you agree? 


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