In orbitRocket body

THOR ABLESTAR R/B

NORAD: 669
COSPAR: 1963-038A

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 Space Systems Division
Platform (bus): Ablestar
Mass at launch: 670 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Dry mass: 600 kg
Total mass with attached parts: 600 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
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 S00669, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1963-09-28
Rocket: Thor Ablestar 2
Flight: Transit VBN-1
Mission name: Transit VBN-1
Launch site: V, 75-1-1
Launched by: US Air Force Space Systems Division
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1963-038

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1963-038, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: US
Launch date: 1963-09-28
Period: 107.0 min
Inclination: 89.97°
Apogee: 1,108 km
Perigee: 1,065 km
Radar cross-section: 3.2528 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

Debris13 in total, 5 still in orbit
Payload2 in total, 2 still in orbit
Rocket body1 in total, 1 still in orbit