Sunday, 24 August 2025

X-37B OTV 8 and Limasat (the USSF-36 payloads) imaged

 

This morning (early 24 August 2025) weather finally cooperated and I managed to observe both of the USSF-36 payloads, two days after launch: the X-37B Spaceplane OTV 8 (2025-183A) and  LIMASAT (2025-183B). Limasat was about half a minute in front of OTV 8.

Above is footage from this pass, showing both objects. The footage was obtained from my home in Leiden, the Netherlands, using a WATEC 902H2 Supreme camera with a Samyang 1.4/85 mm lens filming at 25 frames/second. This was an early twilight pass low in the south-southwest (27 degrees maximum elevation).

Below are framestacks from parts of the footage (both framestacks are 51-frame stacks):

Limasat (stack of 51 frames)

 
X-37B OTV 8 (stack of 51 frames)


 

Current observations show OTV 8 in a 331 x 342 km, 49.5 degree inclined orbit. Limasat is in a 330 x 341 km, 49.5 degree inclined orbit. Limasat was probably carried piggyback on the X-37B Service Module before being released.

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