Space Brief 9 Oct 2025
Today's briefing covers key developments in defense budgets reshaping the space sector, significant Space Force contracts, and the latest news from the Chinese space station.
Launch Date
January 27, 2000
Launch Site
AFWTR
Launch Pad
SLC8
Launch Vehicle
Minotaur I
NORAD ID
26063
International Designator
2000-004C
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 02:02:55 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
100.19°
Right Ascension
125.02°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
348.56°
Period
100.14 min
Mean Motion
14.38 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Name
OPAL (OO-38)
Alternative Name
OPAL-OSCAR-38
Type
Status
Owner
STAN
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 26063U 00004C 26185.08536024 .00000189 00000-0 81579-4 0 9993
2 26063 100.1911 125.0247 0035692 348.5626 11.4740 14.37971327385717
Source: Celestrak
Length
0.2
Diameter
0.2
Span
0.3
Dry Mass
13
Launch Mass
13
Shape
Box + Ant
Radar Cross Section
0.193
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
OPAL
Purpose
Experimental
Mission
Experimental
Manufacturer
STAN
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
OPAL
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
?
Equipment
?
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Today's briefing covers key developments in defense budgets reshaping the space sector, significant Space Force contracts, and the latest news from the Chinese space station.
Booster B1067 sets new Falcon 9 reuse record with 35th successful flight, deploying 29 Starlink satellites. Quantum Space pursues public markets via SPAC.
Today's Space Brief covers Lockheed Martin's pursuits in missile interception, key military advancements in space integration, the UK launch license for Skyrora, and much more.
SDA awards $3.5B in contracts for 72 Tracking Layer satellites to Lockheed Martin and Rocket Lab. Terran Orbital selected for satellite bus production. Israel eyes 2026 defense growth.
SpaceX gears up for Starship Flight 8 amidst Starlink's growing presence in global internet markets.
SpaceX readies Starship Flight 13 for July 16 launch to deploy first Starlink V3 satellites as Falcon 9 logs its 600th booster reuse.
Explore the latest developments in international defense collaborations, aerospace advancements, and emerging military trends shaping our orbital environments.
SpaceX acquires xAI to develop orbital data centers. Starlink terminals bypass Iran's government internet blackouts. Blue Origin escalates defense procurement criticism.