In orbitRocket body

N-2 R/B(2)

NORAD: 12787
COSPAR: 1981-012C

OrbitalWiki publishes live orbits for active satellites only. This object is in the full catalogue: who launched it, what it is and its last published orbit are below, but there are no current orbital elements for it here.

Spacecraft

Built by: Thiokol-Elkton
Owner: National Space Development Adminstration
Platform (bus): Star 37
Mass at launch: 1,123 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Dry mass: 83 kg
Total mass with attached parts: 83 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Length: 1.7 m
Diameter: 0.9 m
Span with arrays and booms: 1.7 m
Shape: Sphere + Cone

From GCAT by Jonathan McDowell (CC BY 4.0), record S12787, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1981-02-11
Rocket: N-2
Flight: Kiku-3
Mission name: ETS-4
Launch site: TNSC, N
Launched by: National Space Development Adminstration
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1981-012

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1981-012, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: JPN
Launch date: 1981-02-11
Period: 292.1 min
Inclination: 27.93°
Apogee: 16,223 km
Perigee: 186 km
Radar cross-section: 2.7298 m²

From CelesTrak SATCAT, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Where it came from

Parent object: N-2 R/B(1) (NORAD 12296)
Catalogued pieces that came from it: 1

The object this one was attached to at launch, or broke off from, as GCAT records it.

Everything from this launch

Payload1 in total, 1 still in orbit
Rocket body2 in total, 1 still in orbit