[MilCom] SPICA Orbit

[Jack L. Metcalfe]

At 02:18 PM 3/29/2007, Jack L. Metcalfe wrote:
>At 11:57 AM 3/29/2007, Joe Cobb wrote:
>>On the SUA FAA website up in central KY there is a
>>grid that says SPICA Orbit.  It's altitude is listed
>>at FL310.  Does anyone have an idea of what this could
>>be?  FYI, there is a lot of Jstars activity here in TN
>>and KY.  372.15, 395.15, 376.125 are all encrypted.
>>And also STRIKESTAR up on 225.725 and someone else on
>>364.2
>>
>>I'm just trying to figure out what this SPICA orbit
>>would be and if all this could be related.  Any
>>info/ideas is greatly appreciated.  Thanks.
>---
>Pretty sure it's just a defined area for AWACS/JSTARS  flight 
>operations.  There are several
>more areas throughout the US & maybe a couple 
>off-shore.  Specifically, there is Polk 1 Orbit
>& Polk 2 Orbit near Fort Polk, a Hood 1 Orbit & Hood 2 Orbit near 
>Fort Hood & a couple of
>others, Castor Orbit & JSTARS Orbit, but I don't recall their 
>locations right now.
---
There are actually 8 JSTARS orbit areas, JSTARS 1, JSTARS 2, JSTARS 
3, JSTARS 3A,
JSTARS 4, JSTARS 5, JSTARS 6 & JSTARS 7.  Most are off the 
Southeastern US coast or
very near it.  There is also a STEWART ORBIT (near Ft. Stewart, GA) & 
two areas not listed
as orbit areas (ANTARES & CAPELLA) that probably are.

BTW, for the non-astronomically inclined, ANTARES, CAPELLA, CASTOR & SPICA are
bright stars all visible from the northern hemisphere.
-------------------
Jack L. Metcalfe
Stanford, KY
jlmetcalfe at hughes.net
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