btaining NASA Orbital Data From NASA
NASA uses two methods to provide orbital data, mail and electronic
distribution. Anyone interested in obtaining data through either
method should contact the Goddard Space Flight Center at the address below.
Requests for the more costly and less-timely mailed data sets should be restricted
to users who are not equipped to obtain the information electronically.
A modem (14400/9600/2400/1200 baud) and computer software are required to
electronically download the data sets.
Write and request electronic access and a password—or request mailed information—
from the Orbital Information Group’s (OIG) RAID* Bulletin Board System (RBBS) at:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Project Operations Branch/513
Attn: Orbital Information Group
Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
The RBBS provides access to the latest element sets twenty-four hours a day, from any-
where in the world. Two-line Orbital Elements (TLE’s) are updated on the following
schedule:
Monday TLE’s revised between 1200 GMT Friday and 1200 GMT Monday
Wednesday TLE’s revised between 1200 GMT Monday and 1200 GMT Wednesday
Friday TLE’s revised between 1200 GMT Wednesday and 1200 GMT Friday.
Data obtained from the RBBS is in a slightly different format from that required by track-
ing programs such as BIRD DOG, INSTANTRACK, STSORBIT, AND TRAKSAT. The data
received from RBBS can’t be used directly in these tracking programs without first filter-
ing it with a computer program. The DRIG and Bordertech BBS’s have posted programs
to simplify conversion to the standard format. RBBS data may be manually entered into
the INSTANTRACK program.
* Orbital Information Group’s Report and Information Dissemination (RAID) section
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