In orbitRocket body

GOES 5 AKM

NORAD: 33521
COSPAR: 1981-049D

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: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Platform (bus): Star 27
Mass at launch: 440 kg
Dry mass: 50 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Length: 1.2 m
Diameter: 0.7 m
Span with arrays and booms: 1.2 m
Shape: Cyl

From GCAT by Jonathan McDowell (CC BY 4.0), record S33521, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1981-05-22
Rocket: Delta 3914
Flight: GOES 5
Mission name: GOES E
Launch site: CC, LC17A
Launched by: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1981-049

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1981-049, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: US
Launch date: 1981-05-22
Period: 1750.3 min
Inclination: 15.99°
Apogee: 49,952 km
Perigee: 33,511 km
Radar cross-section: 0.003 m²

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

Where it came from

Parent object: GOES 5 (NORAD 12472)

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 body3 in total, 1 still in orbit