X Report 16 Nov 2025
SpaceX successfully launched 29 Starlink satellites on November 14, marking the first of two rapid-fire Falcon 9 missions from Florida's Space Coast in under four hours.
GSTAR 2 (16649)
COSPAR: 1986-026A | Alt Name: Gstar 2
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
March 28, 1986
Launch Site
FRGUI
Launch Pad
ELA2
Launch Vehicle
Ariane 3
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
16649
International Designator
1986-026A
Epoch
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:03:55 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
14.19°
Right Ascension
345.73°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
47.68°
Period
1442.83 min
Mean Motion
1.00 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
GSTAR 2
Alternative Name
Gstar 2
Type
Payload
Status
Unknown
Owner
GTE
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 16649U 86026A 26184.75272353 -.00000292 00000-0 00000-0 0 9997
2 16649 14.1904 345.7330 0002857 47.6832 308.2325 0.99803715116805
Source: Celestrak
Summary
GSTAR 2, also known as Gstar 2, is a communication satellite operated by GTE and was launched on March 28, 1986, from the Guiana Space Centre using an Ariane 3 launch vehicle. The spacecraft has dimensions of 2.8 meters in length, 1 meter in diameter, and spans 14.9 meters with its solar arrays deployed. It has a dry mass of 320 kilograms and was launched with a total mass of 692 kilograms. GSTAR 2 is equipped with 16 Ku-band transponders (with an additional potential for 5 more), powered by two deployable solar arrays and batteries, and carries the AS-3000 configuration with a box shape complemented by two panels. The satellite's manufacturer was GEEW and its motor model is TE-M-700-17. It serves communication purposes in orbit.
Physical Characteristics
Length
2.8
Diameter
1
Span
14.9
Dry Mass
320
Launch Mass
692
Shape
Box + 2 Pan
Radar Cross Section
14.526
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Gstar 2
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
GEEW
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
AS3000
Configuration
AS-3000
Motor
TE-M-700-17
Equipment
16 (+5) Ku-band transponders
Power System
2 deployable solar arrays, 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.
C-Band
The workhorse frequency band that quietly powers satellite communications, weather radar, and Wi-Fi around the world
X Report 1 Oct 2025
SpaceX gears up for significant upcoming launches while Starlink makes an impactful difference in disaster recovery efforts. Meanwhile, ESA and Avio reveal plans for competitive advancements in reusable rocket technology.
SpaceX Wins $178.5M Space Force Missile Tracking Contract | KeepTrack Space Brief
SpaceX awarded $178.5M Space Force contract for missile tracking satellite launches beginning 2027. Pentagon also extends GPS modernization support with $45M Raytheon order.
The Morning a Supply Ship Tore Open Mir
On 25 June 1997, a seven-ton cargo ship under hand control drifted into Mir's Spektr module, breached the hull, and left three crew members listening to their air hiss into space. It remains the worst collision in the history of human spaceflight.
China Opens 2026 With Yaogan and Guowang Satellite Launches | KeepTrack Space Brief
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.
EUTELSAT 172B
Europe's first high-power all-electric telecom satellite doesn't just sit above the Pacific - it got there on robotic arms and plasma thrusters, broke records doing it, and now keeps your airplane Wi-Fi running between LA and Tokyo.
NASA Ends MAVEN After 6-Month Contact Loss; Falcon 9 Sets 35th Reuse Record | KeepTrack Space Brief
NASA concludes MAVEN mission after six months attempting to restore contact with Mars probe. Meanwhile, Falcon 9 booster flies record 35th flight on Starlink 10-35 mission.