Space Brief 7 Oct 2025
Explore the latest in satellite communications with Cubic's new terminals, strategic acquisitions by Firefly, China's IoT satellite achievements, and key military updates.
Launch Date
November 21, 1979
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC40
Launch Vehicle
Titan IIIC
NORAD ID
11621
International Designator
1979-098A
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:23:32 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
10.22°
Right Ascension
312.95°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
130.14°
Period
1506.30 min
Mean Motion
0.96 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Name
OPS 9443 (DSCS 2-13)
Alternative Name
DSCS II F-13
Type
Status
Owner
AFSD/DCA
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 11621U 79098A 26185.01634568 -.00000077 00000-0 00000-0 0 9994
2 11621 10.2165 312.9483 0007615 130.1439 245.9433 0.95598520615564
Source: Celestrak
Length
3.6
Diameter
2.7
Span
3.6
Dry Mass
550
Launch Mass
610
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
5.0473
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
DSCS II D-13
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
TRW
Life Expectancy
5 years
Bus
DSCS II
Configuration
Spin-stabilization, despun antennas
Motor
AOCS
Equipment
2 X-Band transponders
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Explore the latest in satellite communications with Cubic's new terminals, strategic acquisitions by Firefly, China's IoT satellite achievements, and key military updates.
Starship V3 completes its first full-duration static fire in April 2026, with Flight 12 targeting May. Dual Falcon 9s push Starlink to 10,242 working.
SpaceX postpones a Starlink launch, Bell Canada targets Starlink subsidies, and questions around Elon Musk's involvement in a NASA appointment arise.
On May 4, 1989, Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from LC-39B carrying Magellan, NASA's first interplanetary mission since 1978. The eleven-year drought ended in a payload bay, and the radar that emerged would map ninety-eight percent of Venus through clouds that no camera could ever see through.
China launches Yaogan spacecraft into unusual orbit and Guowang constellation satellites to start 2026. NASA and DOE plan lunar nuclear reactor by 2030. Space Force switches GPS launch rocket.
Sixty-eight years ago, America's first satellite exploded on the launchpad in front of the entire world. But from the ashes of Vanguard TV-3 came the determination that would eventually win the Space Race.
SpaceX announces SPHEREx launch date for February 2025, and Airbus completes delivery of Thuraya 4 satellite for upcoming launch.
Today's brief covers the nomination of a new Space Force leader, partnership efforts by Lockheed, Sweden's defense budget delay, Israeli military actions, Proba-3's imaging breakthrough, and Starlink's license to operate in India.