[LEAPSECS] Possible outcomes ?

[Poul-Henning Kamp]

In message <B9C35996-FB07-44D0-8A8F-ACC606C2CBB5 at noao.edu>, Rob Seaman writes:

>On Aug 13, 2013, at 7:25 PM, Warner Losh <imp at bsdimp.com> wrote:

>

>> You take Poul too literally. By "astronomer" he means anything that points a telescope, or other such-like device. Astronautical seems to fit that bill... 

>

>Such-like devices as communications satellites, weather satellites,

>earth resources satellites, military and intelligence spacecraft -

>and yes, space telescopes and other science missions?


Sorry Rob, but now you're downright silly:

Communications satellites are *GEO*-stationary, that's why you can bolt your TV-dish into place.

Weather satellites are either geo-stationary or geo-fixed polar orbits.

Same for Earth Resources satellites, military and intelligence spacecraft.

Space telescopes and science missions don't really care about earth
rotation, but you need to point your antenna at them, a task which
requires a much better Earth Orientation Angle estimate than UTC
can give you.

And most of the people running these kinds of shows have "phd" after
their name, they can do math, they can understand polar coordinates
and they can retrieve a DUT1 estimate directly from IERS.

-- 
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