Rocket Lab to Acquire Iridium for $8B, X Report 30 Jun 2026
Rocket Lab will acquire Iridium for $8B to challenge SpaceX, whose Starlink constellation holds 10,706 working satellites of 12,390 launched.
SL-6 R/B(2) (11556)
COSPAR: 1979-070D | Alt Name: Blok-L
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
July 31, 1979
Launch Site
PLMSC
Launch Pad
LC43/3
Launch Vehicle
Molniya 8K78M
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
11556
International Designator
1979-070D
Decay Date
2/2/2002
Basic Satellite Info
Name
SL-6 R/B(2)
Alternative Name
Blok-L
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
2.7
Diameter
2.5
Span
2.7
Dry Mass
1000
Launch Mass
4500
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
7.7451
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Blok-ML No. 76738451
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
NPOE
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Blok-L
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.
X Report 2 Jul 2025
SpaceX achieved significant milestones with the launch of its 500th Falcon 9 rocket and the deployment of a European weather satellite, showcasing its ongoing impact in space exploration and satellite technology.
X Report 6 Mar 2025
Starship Flight 8 set for launch, new milestones in the defense sector, and launch updates dominate today's news.
Growing Threat of Space Junk
Over 27,000 high-speed pieces of space junk now threaten vital satellites, requiring sophisticated tracking and urgent innovation of orbital debris removal methods like harpoons and nets.
SpaceX Targets 600th Falcon Booster Landing on Starlink 17-22 | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX attempts its 600th Falcon 9 booster landing during the Starlink 17-22 mission, adding 25 satellites from Vandenberg SFB.
Crew-11 Emergency Evacuation Raises Space Rescue Alarm | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX Crew-11 made an emergency return from the ISS on Jan. 15 after a medical crisis, spotlighting gaps in space rescue infrastructure.
FAA Grounds Starship V3 After Flight 12, X Report 28 May 2026
FAA grounds SpaceX Starship V3 after the Flight 12 mishap, freezing the launch schedule. Plus a $2.29B Space Force contract and 10,397 working Starlinks.
The Day We First Landed on Venus
On December 15, 1970, a battered Soviet probe accomplished something no spacecraft had done before - it survived landing on another world and lived to tell about it.