Space Brief 19 Aug 2025
Today's briefing covers Rocket Lab's strategic acquisition, Space Dynamics Lab's new collaboration with the Space Force, and shifts within the Pentagon's AI division.
GONETS-M 3 (38734)
COSPAR: 2012-041B | Alt Name: Gonets-M No. 13L
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
July 28, 2012
Launch Site
PLMSC
Launch Pad
LC133/3
Launch Vehicle
Rokot
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
38734
International Designator
2012-041B
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 06:26:30 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
82.47°
Right Ascension
54.11°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
26.82°
Period
115.67 min
Mean Motion
12.45 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
GONETS-M 3
Alternative Name
Gonets-M No. 13L
Type
Payload
Status
Operational
Owner
GONETS
Country
Russia
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 38734U 12041B 26185.26840285 .00000027 00000-0 11674-3 0 9991
2 38734 82.4736 54.1105 0017435 26.8205 333.3773 12.44903350632793
Source: Celestrak
Summary
The GONETS-M 3 satellite, also known as Gonets-M No. 13L, is a communication and store-dump satellite launched by Russia on July 28, 2012, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome LC133/3 using the Rokot launch vehicle. It has a cylindrical shape with antennas and measures 1.6 meters in length, 0.8 meters in diameter, and spans 7 meters when its deployable fixed solar arrays are extended. The satellite weighs approximately 280 kilograms both at launch and dry mass, and is equipped with batteries for power storage. Manufactured by RESH under the ownership of GONETS, this satellite has a reflective surface area (RCS) of 1.66 square meters and its expected operational lifetime ranges from 5 to 7 years.
Physical Characteristics
Length
1.6
Diameter
0.8
Span
7
Dry Mass
280
Launch Mass
280
Shape
Cyl + Ant
Radar Cross Section
1.66
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Gonets-M No. 13L
Purpose
Communication, Store-Dump
Mission
Communication, Store-Dump
Manufacturer
RESH
Life Expectancy
5-7 years
Bus
Strela-3
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
2 deployable fixed solar arrays, solar cells, 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.
X Report 7 Mar 2025
Starship Flight 8 ends with mixed results as SpaceX successfully catches Super Heavy booster but loses the upper stage in a fiery breakup.
X Report 2 Dec 2024
SpaceX continues its Starship testing while advancing Starlink deployments, and collaborates on satellite missions with industry partners.
Boeing Starliner Grounded Until Mid-2027, NASA Warns | KeepTrack Space Brief
Boeing CST-100 Starliner faces up to one year delay before return-to-flight. NASA safety panel cites unresolved technical problems since mid-2024 crewed test.
The Day the Navy's Eyes Reached Orbit
Forty-two years ago, an Atlas H rocket climbed into the California sky carrying four objects that would help the U.S. Navy track every Soviet warship on the planet - a mission so secret that even the satellites' true name wasn't declassified until 2023
Understanding Space Debris
From shattered satellites to exploded rocket stages, space debris poses a growing risk to satellites, space stations, and astronauts. Here's a deep dive into what causes space debris, notable generating events, and what we're doing about it.
Australian Space Centre Cape York
When your landlord won't sign the lease, you move. How Equatorial Launch Australia abandoned Arnhem Land and pivoted to Queensland - and what it means for Australia's equatorial launch ambitions.
X Report 9 Nov 2025
SpaceX successfully launched 29 new Starlink satellites today, further expanding its satellite internet constellation amidst growing competition in the space broadband market.