X Report 31 Oct 2025
SpaceX prepares for its 100th Starlink launch while refining its lunar lander design for NASA's Artemis program amidst calls for architectural changes.
SL-7 R/B (04339)
COSPAR: 1970-014B | Alt Name: Kosmos-2 (N56) Stage 2
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
February 27, 1970
Launch Site
PLMSC
Launch Pad
LC133/3
Launch Vehicle
Kosmos 11K63
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
04339
International Designator
1970-014B
Decay Date
4/11/1970
Explore in the Catalog
Basic Satellite Info
Name
SL-7 R/B
Alternative Name
Kosmos-2 (N56) Stage 2
Type
Rocket Body
Status
Space Junk
Owner
RVSN
Country
USSR
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
A rocket body, also commonly referred to as an upper stage or spent rocket stage, is the structural shell left behind after a rocket has delivered its payload to orbit. These large and often heavy pieces of space hardware can remain in orbit for years, posing significant collision hazards as part of the growing space debris problem. If left uncontrolled, rocket bodies have the potential to reenter Earth's atmosphere unpredictably, which can lead to falling debris in populated areas. Additionally, they risk colliding with operational satellites or the International Space Station, creating more debris and putting human life at risk.
Physical Characteristics
Length
8
Diameter
1.6
Span
8
Dry Mass
840
Launch Mass
840
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
S1M
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
YUZH
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
S1
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Space Brief 16 May 2025
Today's brief covers challenges in Space Force procurement, promising developments in tracking technologies, and significant budget cuts affecting military aerospace projects.
X Report 17 Apr 2025
Starbase expansion progresses and Germany eyes its own satellite constellation.
Artemis 2 Returns to Pad, Targets April 1 Launch | KeepTrack Space Brief
NASA's SLS and Orion spacecraft rolled back to Launch Complex 39B, targeting April 1 for first crewed lunar flyby with four astronauts aboard.
Starlink Hits 10,000 Satellites in Orbit, X Report 17 Mar 2026
How many Starlink satellites are in orbit in 2026? SpaceX passed 10,000 after the Starlink 17-24 launch, with 10,020 in orbit and 11,529 launched.
The Telescope That Needed Glasses
On April 25, 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery's robotic arm lifted a 11,110-kilogram barrel of mirrors and instruments out of the payload bay and released it into orbit. Six weeks later, the first images came back badly out of focus. The Hubble Space Telescope had been ground to the wrong prescription, and America had just spent $2.5 billion on what the press was calling a 'technoturkey.'
X Report 8 Sep 2025
The FAA has approved an increase in Falcon 9 launches while reviewing the environmental impacts of Starship launches in Florida, amidst growing community concerns on noise and other issues related to the Starship program.
X Report 24 Feb 2025
SpaceX faces challenges with a Falcon 9 reentry issue, while continuing to expand its Starlink constellation with new launches.