ISS spotters - help please!

[badgerchap]

Just saw a curious pair of satellites. One slightly smaller trailing the other by about half a degree, perfect sync speedwise. Passed from Aquila region and up through Cygnus at around 11pm UK time. The only thing I could think it would be is the ISS about to receive a delivery.

Has there been an ISS pass over the midlands tonight?

Typed inexpertly from my phone

[mallorcasaint]

Nope. No UK evening passes until October now.

[Scooot]

it could have been these, they were following each other on roughly the same orbit, this was where they both were at 11.06pm?

[badgerchap]

Yes, could well have been, Scooot. Certainly about the right time. Temporarily very bright but then fading a bit?

Typed inexpertly from my phone

[Scooot]

Nope, changed my mind, they were going in the opposite directions lol. Found 2 others that were very close that passed over at 11.05pm THEOS & GEOEYE 1

[badgerchap]

They sound a bit better at that slightly earlier time

Typed inexpertly from my phone

[TwoPi]

Perhaps it was USA 229 and USA 229 DEB? See here for more info.

According to Heaven's Above they went through Aquila and Cygnus at about 22:58 last night from 'mid Wales' (I picked the location randomly on the map!):

Satellite Mag Start Highest point End

USA 229 DEB 3.7 22:53:56 10° SW 23:01:09 86° SE 23:08:15 10° NE

USA 229 3.7 22:54:01 10° SW 23:01:15 85° SE 23:08:22 10° NE

I've seen formation satellites before, almost always NOSS satellites like the pair I think you may have seen. Always good to see - nice spot!

[TwoPi]

Sorry rubbish formatting of the table. The 3 times in each row are meant to line up with Start, Highest Point & End.

[Scooot]

I updated the apps database, it included 1596 satellites & those two weren't listed typical. Presumably because they're US intelligence ones.