WESTFORD NEEDLES (20504)

COSPAR: 1963-014FD | Alt Name: West Ford dipoles
DECAYED

Image
WESTFORD NEEDLES Satellite Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details

Launch Date

May 9, 1963

Launch Site

AFWTR

Launch Pad

LC1-2

Launch Vehicle

Atlas Agena B

Orbital Elements

NORAD ID

20504

International Designator

1963-014FD

Decay Date

10/29/2022

Basic Satellite Info

Name

WESTFORD NEEDLES

Alternative Name

West Ford dipoles

Type

Debris

Status

Space Junk

Owner

AFSSD

Country

United States

Constellation

N/A

Related Satellites

Major Events

N/A

Summary
Space debris, also known as space junk, encompasses all non-functional objects orbiting Earth such as defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions or disintegrations. Over time, this debris can accumulate and create an increasingly hazardous environment in orbit. Even tiny fragments, traveling at extremely high velocities, can inflict significant damage on operational satellites and spacecraft. If left unmanaged, the density of debris raises the risk of catastrophic collisions and further fragmentation, compounding the problem and threatening the safety and sustainability of space activities.
Physical Characteristics

Length

0

Diameter

0

Span

0

Dry Mass

0

Launch Mass

0

Shape

N/A

Radar Cross Section

0.1175

Visual Magnitude

Unknown

Color

Unknown

Material Composition

Unknown

Technical Details

Payload

RCS 0.12

Purpose

Unknown

Mission

Unknown

Manufacturer

Unknown

Life Expectancy

Unknown

Bus

Unknown

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.

A Tribute to Albert Einstein

A Tribute to Albert Einstein

Ask anyone on the street who the smartest person ever was, and most will say Albert Einstein. Exactly 71 years ago today, this genius departed from the world. Today, we examine Einstein's innumerable contributions to astronomy and how he shaped space history for years to come.

Pentagon Pulls the Plug on GPS OCX | The $8 Billion Ground System That Never Worked

Pentagon Pulls the Plug on GPS OCX | The $8 Billion Ground System That Never Worked

On April 17, 2026, the U.S. Space Force officially cancelled the Next Generation Operational Control System after sixteen years of development, cost overruns, and testing failures. The $8 billion program was supposed to unlock the military's encrypted GPS signal. Instead, the satellites are flying with capabilities the ground can't command.

Space Brief 27 Oct 2025

Space Brief 27 Oct 2025

Today's space highlights include the US Space Force's advanced tracking contract, a milestone in SpaceX's Starlink program, and a new initiative to remove space debris.

The Pentagon's Mystery Spaceplane Takes Off

The Pentagon's Mystery Spaceplane Takes Off

On April 22, 2010, an Atlas V lifted off from Cape Canaveral carrying a reusable robotic spaceplane so secret that the Air Force would not even confirm its mission duration. It came back 224 days later, lighter, quieter, and more operational than anyone outside Washington had expected. Fifteen years later, the X-37B is still flying, and the military still will not say what it does.

2 Starshield Sats Fly on Rare Public Mission | KeepTrack X Report

2 Starshield Sats Fly on Rare Public Mission | KeepTrack X Report

SpaceX publicly confirmed 2 Starshield government satellites launched from Vandenberg on June 6, a rare disclosure for the classified Starlink variant.

The Day We First Landed on Venus

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.

X Report 7 Nov 2024

X Report 7 Nov 2024

SpaceX prepares for sixth Starship flight, slated for mid-November, following successful fifth test in October.

Space Brief 20 Jan 2025

Space Brief 20 Jan 2025

Today's Space Brief highlights SpaceX's return to Starlink launches, a call to address space debris, and changes in NASA leadership under the new Trump administration.