Falcon Heavy Returns After 18-Month Hiatus | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy flew for the first time in 18 months on April 29, while Starlink hit 51 Falcon 9 launches in 2026 with 10,280 satellites working.
ESSA 1 (OT-3) (01982)
COSPAR: 1966-008A | Alt Name: ESSA 1
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
February 3, 1966
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC17A
Launch Vehicle
Thor Delta C
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
01982
International Designator
1966-008A
Epoch
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:45:04 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
97.81°
Right Ascension
229.81°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
5.75°
Period
99.42 min
Mean Motion
14.48 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Explore in the Catalog
Basic Satellite Info
Name
ESSA 1 (OT-3)
Alternative Name
ESSA 1
Type
Payload
Status
Non-operational
Owner
ESSA
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 01982U 66008A 26200.32296378 .00000061 00000+0 26653-4 0 9992
2 01982 97.8102 229.8129 0079835 5.7474 354.4618 14.48354067162597
Source: Celestrak
Summary
Apologies, there is no summary for this satellite yet. I am working to generate these for every object in the catalog, but it is going to take time.
Physical Characteristics
Length
0.6
Diameter
1.1
Span
1.1
Dry Mass
138
Launch Mass
138
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
0.6705
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Tiros OT3
Purpose
Meteorology
Mission
Meteorology
Manufacturer
RCA
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Tiros I
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
?
Equipment
2 x AVCS (#T9, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9); 2 x APT (#2, 4, 6, 8); FPR (#3, 5, 7, 9)
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Map
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Blue Origin's New Glenn Explodes During Ground Test | KeepTrack Space Brief
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during ground testing May 28, visible from hundreds of miles across Florida. Fireball halts vehicle pending failure investigation.
The Looming Crisis of Orbital Debris
As humanity increasingly relies on satellites, the escalating space junk problem poses a dire threat to our space-based infrastructure. With debris counts reaching alarming levels, urgent action is needed to prevent a cascade of collisions that could make key orbits unusable.
Space Brief 6 May 2025
Today's brief covers a significant hypersonic flight by Stratolaunch, the US Space Force's missile warning upgrades, and major government space investments.
Starship Flight 13 Set for July 16, Will Deploy Live Starlinks | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX targets July 16 for Starship Flight 13, testing V3 fixes and deploying functioning Starlink satellites for the first time.
Space Brief 31 Dec 2024
Today's Space Brief highlights the latest developments in China's megaconstellation funding, Russia's nuclear posturing in Europe, and other significant military activities.
New Glenn Upper Stage Fails, BlueBird 7 Lost, Space Brief 20 Apr 2026
New Glenn's upper stage malfunctioned April 19, stranding AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7; the satellite is lost. Vulcan may fly without solid boosters.
X Report 25 Nov 2025
In today's report, we explore the latest updates from SpaceX's ongoing launch initiatives, Starship progress, and emerging competition in satellite internet, highlighting a new contender that could challenge Starlink's dominance.