Starship Flight 13 to Debut First Starlink V3 Satellites | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX readies Starship Flight 13 for July 16 launch to deploy first Starlink V3 satellites as Falcon 9 logs its 600th booster reuse.
ORBVIEW 2 (SEASTAR) (24883)
COSPAR: 1997-037A | Alt Name: OrbView-2
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
August 1, 1997
Launch Site
WRAS
Launch Pad
RW30/12
Launch Vehicle
Pegasus XL
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
24883
International Designator
1997-037A
Epoch
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:56:44 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
98.87°
Right Ascension
352.23°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
83.48°
Period
100.31 min
Mean Motion
14.36 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
ORBVIEW 2 (SEASTAR)
Alternative Name
OrbView-2
Type
Payload
Status
Non-operational
Owner
ORBI
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 24883U 97037A 26184.74773958 .00000288 00000-0 11620-3 0 9993
2 24883 98.8703 352.2268 0003318 83.4784 276.6779 14.35562371525125
Source: Celestrak
Summary
ORBVIEW 2 (SEASTAR), also known as OrbView-2, is an Earth observation satellite designed and manufactured by OSCG for ORBI. It was launched on August 1, 1997, from the Wallops Flight Facility using a Pegasus XL launch vehicle from Launch Pad RW30/12. The satellite has dimensions of 2.5 meters in length, 1.2 meters in diameter, and a span of 4.3 meters. It weighs 241 kilograms dry and had a launch mass of 309 kilograms. Equipped with the SeaWiFS payload for Earth observation, ORBVIEW 2 operated beyond its planned five-year lifetime, achieving an impressive operational period of 13 years. Its power system includes four deployable fixed solar arrays and batteries. The satellite has a hexagonal cylindrical shape with four panels and a radar cross-section of 2.6748 square meters.
Physical Characteristics
Length
2.5
Diameter
1.2
Span
4.3
Dry Mass
241
Launch Mass
309
Shape
Hex Cyl + 4 Pan
Radar Cross Section
2.6748
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Seastar
Purpose
Earth observation
Mission
Earth observation
Manufacturer
OSCG
Life Expectancy
5 years (planned); 13 years (achieved)
Bus
Pegastar
Configuration
PegaStar
Motor
?
Equipment
SeaWiFS
Power System
4 deployable fixed 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.
Space Brief 14 Feb 2025
Key developments include Redwire's contract for a US Space Force mission, UK's steps toward its first orbital launch, and a detailed military satellite spotlight.
The Day America's Spy Satellites Gained New Eyes
Sixty-three years ago, a Thor-Agena rocket launched the first dual-camera reconnaissance satellite, revolutionizing space-based intelligence while hiding behind the final use of a famous cover name
X Report 23 Sep 2025
SpaceX successfully launched the NROL-48 mission, growing the National Reconnaissance Office's satellite fleet. Additionally, NASA introduced ten new astronaut candidates, increasing female representation in its ranks.
Falcon 9 Lofts 5-Ton Cygnus XL to ISS | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX's Falcon 9 delivered Northrop Grumman's second Cygnus XL — carrying over 5 tons of cargo — to the ISS on April 11, 2026.
X Report 23 Feb 2025
SpaceX faces a setback with a Falcon 9 upper stage reentry issue, while NASA selects SpaceX for a new mission. Starlink expansions continue with multiple satellite launches.
The Day Humanity Broke Its Last Tether to Earth
Forty-one years ago, astronaut Bruce McCandless II became the first human to float completely free in space, pushing the boundaries of both technology and human courage
Apogee and Perigee
Understanding the high and low points of every orbit - from the International Space Station's careful dance with Earth's atmosphere to the extreme ellipses that take satellites to the edge of space and back.