Space Brief 1 Oct 2025
Today's brief covers an increase in Chinese satellite launches, the operational status of the Space Force's ATLAS software, and a significant fundraising event in the defense sector.
WESTFORD NEEDLES (03237)
COSPAR: 1963-014BB | Alt Name: West Ford dipoles
DECAYED
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
03237
International Designator
1963-014BB
Decay Date
5/20/1970
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
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Unknown
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.
X Report 13 Apr 2025
SpaceX successfully launches 21 Starlink satellites and deploys a new batch of spy satellites for the US government.
Andøya Spaceport
Europe's Arctic gateway to orbit. How Norway's Andøya Spaceport is positioning itself as the continent's answer to launch congestion - and what the failed Isar Aerospace test flight means for the road ahead.
Van Allen Probe A Reenters March 10 After 14 Years | KeepTrack Space Brief
NASA's Van Allen Probe A (1,300 lbs) reenters today after 14 years studying Earth's radiation belts. Most debris will burn up; ocean impact statistically likely.
STS-30 | When Atlantis Sent a Radar to Venus
On May 4, 1989, Space Shuttle Atlantis lifted off from LC-39B carrying Magellan, NASA's first interplanetary mission since 1978. The eleven-year drought ended in a payload bay, and the radar that emerged would map ninety-eight percent of Venus through clouds that no camera could ever see through.
Space Brief 13 Nov 2025
Delve into the latest on military AI leadership debates, Wedgetail funding increases, and the Army's Short Range Reconnaissance Program advancements. Explore how these developments influence satellite tracking and defense initiatives.
108 Minutes That Changed Everything - and the 20-Year Echo That Followed
On April 12, 1961, a 27-year-old Soviet pilot rode a modified ICBM into orbit and came back alive after 108 minutes. Exactly twenty years later, two Americans climbed aboard an untested spacecraft covered in 31,000 ceramic tiles and bet their lives that the math was right.
X Report 4 Mar 2025
SpaceX faces a series of challenges with scrubbing the Starship Flight 8 launch and losing a Falcon 9 booster post-landing, while successfully deploying new Starlink satellites.