Space Brief 3 Mar 2025
Historic moon landing by Firefly Aerospace, Spanish Air and Space Force advances with new simulator, and spotlight on OneWeb's communication satellite.
SL-12 R/B(2) (16968)
COSPAR: 1986-071F | Alt Name: Blok DM-2 No. 10L
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
September 16, 1986
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC200/40
Launch Vehicle
Proton-K/DM-2
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
16968
International Designator
1986-071F
Epoch
Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:24:41 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
64.92°
Right Ascension
70.88°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
222.11°
Period
675.21 min
Mean Motion
2.13 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
SL-12 R/B(2)
Alternative Name
Blok DM-2 No. 10L
Type
Rocket Body
Status
Space Junk
Owner
RVSN
Country
USSR
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 16968U 86071F 26183.76714888 -.00000010 00000-0 00000-0 0 9993
2 16968 64.9185 70.8839 0026106 222.1118 317.2482 2.13265599309935
Source: Celestrak
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
6.3
Diameter
3.7
Span
6.3
Dry Mass
2440
Launch Mass
17490
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
1.5108
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
11S861 No. 10L
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
NPOE
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Blok DM
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
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.
Trump Seeks Starlink for Iran Internet, China Plans 200,000-Satellite Constellation | KeepTrack Space Brief
Trump seeks Musk's help to restore internet in Iran via Starlink. China files for 200,000-satellite constellation. Sweden allocates $1.6B for air defense and $140M for space capabilities.
Space Brief 13 Jan 2025
Today's brief covers Blue Origin's launch delay, SpaceX's upcoming Starlink mission, and highlights the YAOGAN-43 O1C satellite.
Falcon Heavy Returns After 18-Month Hiatus, Lofts ViaSat-3 F3 | KeepTrack X Report
Falcon Heavy completed its 12th flight ever on April 29, ending an 18-month stand-down by lofting the 6-ton ViaSat-3 F3 comsat to GTO.
Space Brief 6 Mar 2025
Today's brief covers secret Space Force payloads monitoring China's satellites, collaborations reducing satellite tracking delays, and new AI projects for military operations.
X Report 1 Jun 2025
SpaceX successfully launched 27 Starlink satellites, marking another milestone for its broadband internet service. Meanwhile, the latest GPS III satellite was also launched for the U.S. military, showcasing SpaceX's multifaceted capabilities.
Space Brief 22 Feb 2025
Today's brief covers a reveal from the US Space Force of the X-37B space plane in orbit, a developing defense shakeup involving key military leaders, confirmation of advanced federated ICAM connections by the DoD, and SAAB's plan for a Euro defense coalition. Plus, we spotlight the BDSAT-2 CubeSat.
The Day Two Satellites Said Hello at 26,000 Miles Per Hour
Seventeen years ago today, an operational American communications satellite and a dead Russian military relay crossed paths over Siberia. What happened next created more than 2,000 pieces of trackable debris - and fundamentally changed how the world thinks about space traffic.