In orbitRocket body

IUS R/B(1)

NORAD: 20356
COSPAR: 1989-090C

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: US Air Force Space Systems Division
Platform (bus): Orbus 21
Mass at launch: 10,942 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Dry mass: 1,164 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Total mass with attached parts: 1,164 kg
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 S20356, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1989-11-23
Rocket: Space Shuttle
Flight: USA 48 (ORION 2)
Mission name: OV-103 IUS deploy
Launch site: NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, LC39B
Launched by: JSC/MSFC
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1989-090

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1989-090, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: US
Launch date: 1989-11-23
Period: 404.4 min
Inclination: 27.44°
Apogee: 23,214 km
Perigee: 259 km

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