In orbitRocket body

IUS R/B(1)

NORAD: 13971
COSPAR: 1983-026D

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: United Technology Corp Chemical Systems Division (UTC CSD)
Owner: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Platform (bus): Orbus 21
Mass at launch: 10,967 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Dry mass: 1,164 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Total mass with attached parts: 1,164 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Length: 3.5 m
Diameter: 2.3 m
Span with arrays and booms: 3.5 m
Shape: Cyl

From GCAT by Jonathan McDowell (CC BY 4.0), record S13971, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1983-04-04
Rocket: Space Shuttle
Flight: TDRS-A
Mission name: OV-099 IUS deploy
Launch site: NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, LC39A
Launched by: JSC/MSFC
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1983-026

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1983-026, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: US
Launch date: 1983-04-04
Period: 342.9 min
Inclination: 25.96°
Apogee: 19,398 km
Perigee: 304 km
Radar cross-section: 11.205 m²

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

Where it came from

Catalogued pieces that came from it: 1

Everything from this launch

Payload2 in total, 1 still in orbit
Rocket body2 in total, 2 still in orbit