IRIDIUM 33 DEB (36392)

COSPAR: 1997-051VW | Alt Name: deb Iridium 33
DECAYED

Image
IRIDIUM 33 DEB Satellite Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details

Launch Date

September 14, 1997

Launch Pad

LC81/23

Launch Vehicle

Proton-K/17S40

Orbital Elements

NORAD ID

36392

International Designator

1997-051VW

Decay Date

10/3/2011

Basic Satellite Info

Name

IRIDIUM 33 DEB

Alternative Name

deb Iridium 33

Type

Debris

Status

Space Junk

Owner

IRIDS

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

0.0011

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.

The Bomb That NASA Built by Accident

The Bomb That NASA Built by Accident

An overlooked thermostat, eight hours of overheating on a Florida launch pad, and 200,000 miles of coasting through deep space. Then Oxygen Tank No. 2 tore itself apart, and three men had to figure out how to come home alive in a spacecraft designed to land on the Moon.

The Day Discovery Took Her Final Flight

The Day Discovery Took Her Final Flight

Fourteen years ago, Space Shuttle Discovery thundered into orbit one last time, carrying a robot astronaut and capping a remarkable 27-year career that revolutionized space exploration

X Report 1 Aug 2025

X Report 1 Aug 2025

SpaceX successfully launched 19 Starlink satellites from California amidst a weather-related scrub of the Crew-11 mission to the ISS, showcasing the company’s focus on expanding its satellite constellation while overcoming operational challenges.

Space Brief 1 Oct 2025

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.

STS-51B | Three-Tenths of a Second from Disaster

STS-51B | Three-Tenths of a Second from Disaster

Forty years ago today, Challenger lifted off LC-39A on a science mission that nobody outside Morton-Thiokol would call dangerous. Years later, after the orbiter and seven other astronauts were gone, investigators looked at the recovered boosters from STS-51B and realized the crew had come within a fraction of a second of dying first. This is the story of the launch that should have been a warning.

SpaceX Wins $57M Golden Dome Crosslink Deal, X Report 24 Apr 2026

SpaceX Wins $57M Golden Dome Crosslink Deal, X Report 24 Apr 2026

SpaceX military contract: $57M to demo Link-182 waveform satellite crosslinks for Golden Dome missile defense. FCC denies its spectrum bid.

Space Brief 10 Sep 2024

Space Brief 10 Sep 2024

Today’s Space Brief covers a rescued lunar orbiter, a thorough pre-launch check for a Jupiter-bound mission, and leadership changes in a satellite communication company. We also spotlight a recently launched CubeSat and an innovative act of deorbiting.

X Report 3 Mar 2025

X Report 3 Mar 2025

SpaceX gears up for Starship Flight 8, with a launch set for Monday as final preparations are underway.