In orbitRocket body

ATLAS CENTAUR R/B

NORAD: 8621
COSPAR: 1976-010B

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: General Dynamics/Convair Division (Plant 19)
Owner: NASA Lewis Research Center
Platform (bus): Centaur
Mass at launch: 2,000 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Dry mass: 1,800 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Total mass with attached parts: 1,800 kg(estimate, good to about 20%)
Length: 9.1 m
Diameter: 3.1 m
Span with arrays and booms: 9.1 m
Shape: Cyl

From GCAT by Jonathan McDowell (CC BY 4.0), record S08621, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Launch

Launch date: 1976-01-29
Rocket: Atlas SLV-3D Centaur
Flight: Intelsat 4A F-2
Mission name: INTELSAT IVA F2
Launch site: CC, LC36B
Launched by: NASA Lewis Research Center
Rocket performance: Success
Launch designator: 1976-010

From the GCAT launch log, launch 1976-010, checked 2026-11-05. About this source

Catalogue record

Object type: Rocket body
Owner code: US
Launch date: 1976-01-29
Period: 652.4 min
Inclination: 21.67°
Apogee: 36,491 km
Perigee: 586 km
Radar cross-section: 14.991 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