In orbitRocket body

THOR ABLESTAR R/B

NORAD: 59
COSPAR: 1960-013B

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: Aerojet Engineering
Owner: US Air Force Ballistic Missile Division
Platform (bus): Ablestar
Mass at launch: 600 kg
Dry mass: 600 kg
Length: 4.8 m
Diameter: 1.4 m
Span with arrays and booms: 4.8 m
Shape: Cyl

From GCAT by Jonathan McDowell (CC BY 4.0), record S00059, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1960-10-04
Rocket: Thor Ablestar
Flight: Courier 1B
Mission name: Courier 1B
Launch site: CC, LC17B
Launched by: US Air Force Ballistic Missile Division
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1960 NU

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1960 NU, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: US
Launch date: 1960-10-04
Period: 106.4 min
Inclination: 28.25°
Apogee: 1,201 km
Perigee: 920 km
Radar cross-section: 3.4517 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

Payload1 in total, 1 still in orbit
Rocket body1 in total, 1 still in orbit