X Report 16 Apr 2025
SpaceX gears up for another busy week with a Falcon 9 launch to the ISS while Vast Space expands its Haven-1 payload roster.
MIDAS 4 (00192)
COSPAR: 1961-028A | Alt Name: Midas 4
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
October 21, 1961
Launch Site
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Launch Pad
SLC-3E
Launch Vehicle
Atlas-LV3 Agena-B
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
00192
International Designator
1961-028A
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 01:59:29 GMT
Apogee
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Perigee
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Inclination
95.84°
Right Ascension
227.17°
Eccentricity
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Argument of Perigee
311.37°
Period
165.94 min
Mean Motion
8.68 rev/day
Latitude
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Longitude
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Altitude
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Velocity
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Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
MIDAS 4
Alternative Name
Midas 4
Type
Payload
Status
Unknown
Owner
Air Force Space Systems Division (AFSSD)
Country
United States
Constellation
MIDAS
Related Satellites
Major Events
Launch on October 21, 1961; detected a Titan I missile launch from Cape Canaveral; ceased operations after battery depletion approximately one week post-launch.
Latest TLEs
1 00192U 61028A 26185.08297967 -.00000007 00000-0 -12981-2 0 9991
2 00192 95.8450 227.1736 0134493 311.3680 47.5672 8.67767574 49628
Source: Celestrak
Summary
The MIDAS 4 satellite was launched on October 21, 1961, from Vandenberg Air Force Base aboard an Atlas-LV3 Agena-B rocket. Weighing approximately 840 pounds and measuring 2 meters in length with a diameter of 1.5 meters, the satellite was designed to detect missile launches by identifying heat signatures from ICBM exhaust plumes using its infrared sensors.
The satellite's mission was to provide early warning of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches, and it successfully detected a Titan I missile launch from Cape Canaveral during its operational period. However, the MIDAS 4 ceased operations approximately one week after launch due to battery depletion. The satellite featured three-axis stabilization system for control, two deployable solar arrays, and batteries as power sources.
The MIDAS 4 was part of the Midas constellation, which consisted of several satellites used for early warning systems. Its design included metallic with white and black thermal control coatings, aluminum, and titanium alloys for structural components, and thermal blankets for temperature regulation.
Physical Characteristics
Length
2
Diameter
1.5
Span
2
Dry Mass
840
Launch Mass
840
Shape
Conical
Radar Cross Section
7.9063
Visual Magnitude
5
Color
Metallic with white and black thermal control coatings.
Material Composition
Aluminum and titanium alloys for structural components; thermal blankets for temperature regulation.
Technical Details
Payload
Infrared detection system for missile launch monitoring.
Purpose
Early Warning
Mission
Early detection of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches to provide advanced warning.
Manufacturer
Lockheed Missiles and Space Company (LMSC)
Life Expectancy
Approximately one week; the satellite ceased operations after its batteries were depleted.
Bus
MIDAS
Configuration
Agena-B
Motor
Bell 8081
Equipment
Infrared sensors designed to detect missile launches by identifying the heat signatures from ICBM exhaust plumes.
Power System
Two deployable solar arrays and batteries.
ADCS
Three-axis stabilization system.
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Map
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration
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