In orbitRocket body

ATLAS CENTAUR R/B(2)

NORAD: 5861
COSPAR: 1972-012B

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 Lewis Research Center
Platform (bus): Star 37
Mass at launch: 1,142 kg
Dry mass: 70 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Total mass with attached parts: 70 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Length: 2.1 m
Diameter: 0.9 m
Span with arrays and booms: 2.1 m
Shape: Sphere + Cone

From GCAT by Jonathan McDowell (CC BY 4.0), record S05861, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1972-03-03
Rocket: Atlas SLV-3C Centaur
Flight: Pioneer 10
Mission name: Pioneer F
Launch site: CC, LC36A
Launched by: NASA Lewis Research Center
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1972-012

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1972-012, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: US
Launch date: 1972-03-03
Orbits: the Sun

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

Where it came from

Parent object: ATLAS CENTAUR R/B(1) (NORAD 5878)
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