Space Brief 10 Dec 2024
Today's highlights include a new 5G demonstration launch on Firefly, potential supply chain interruptions in the defense sector, and updates on Artemis and ULA launches.
USA 255 (40101)
COSPAR: 2014-043C | Alt Name: USA 255
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
July 28, 2014
Launch Site
Launch Pad
SLC37B
Launch Vehicle
Delta 4M+(4,2)
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
40101
International Designator
2014-043C
Epoch
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 08:06:53 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
9.27°
Right Ascension
57.10°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
336.97°
Period
1458.57 min
Mean Motion
0.99 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
USA 255
Alternative Name
USA 255
Type
Payload
Status
Non-operational
Owner
AFRL
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 40101U 14043C 26184.33812038 -.00000002 00000-0 00000-0 0 9990
2 40101 9.2736 57.1031 0013782 336.9736 224.9371 0.98726635 25461
Source: Celestrak
Summary
USA 255, also known as Angels, was launched on July 28, 2014, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's SLC37B launch pad using a Delta 4M+(4,2) launch vehicle. The satellite has the configuration of an ESPASat and is owned by AFRL. It measures 0.5 meters in length, diameter, and span with a dry mass of 70 kilograms. USA 255's primary mission is technology-related, and it was manufactured by OSCD (Orbital Sciences Corporation). The satellite is powered by deployable solar arrays and batteries and has an anticipated lifetime of one year. Its shape can be described as box-shaped with a pan configuration.
Physical Characteristics
Length
0.5
Diameter
0.5
Span
0.5
Dry Mass
70
Launch Mass
70
Shape
Box + pan
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
ANGELS
Purpose
Technology
Mission
Technology
Manufacturer
OSCD
Life Expectancy
1 year
Bus
ANGELS
Configuration
ESPASat
Motor
AOCS
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Deployable solar array, 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 16 Jun 2025
SpaceX progresses with plans for Starship launches from a ULA site while continuing its Starlink expansion. New satellite tracking update enhances user engagement.
Space Brief 23 Mar 2025
Discover today's fascinating space events, from exceptional aurora displays to potential exomoon formations, alongside intriguing satellite insights.
SpaceX Launches 1,500th Starlink of 2026, Space Brief 15 Jun 2026
SpaceX launches its 1,500th Starlink satellite of 2026 as shares jump 19% on Nasdaq debut day. Musk targets $1 trillion in annual revenue by 2030.
SpaceX Launches NROL-105 Spy Satellite in First 2026 National Security Mission | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX launches NROL-105 spy satellite from Vandenberg — first national security mission of 2026. Crew-11 astronauts arrive in Houston after historic first-ever ISS medical evacuation.
GPS III SV10 | The Last of Its Kind, and the First of What Comes Next
On April 21, 2026, the tenth and final GPS Block III satellite reached medium Earth orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. Named for Hedy Lamarr, the actress whose 1942 frequency-hopping patent underpins modern GPS, SV10 closes a procurement that took eight years to deliver hardware and opens the optical-crosslink era that will define the constellation's next decade.
Space Brief 4 Oct 2025
Today's Space Brief highlights major developments in satellite launches, regulatory milestones for spectrum sales, and the evolving landscape of space-related cyber conflicts.
ESA's Proba-3 Formation-Flyer Goes Silent | KeepTrack Space Brief
ESA's Proba-3 spacecraft lost contact last month, grounding the dual-satellite solar eclipse mission. Formation flying between both craft is critical for coronagraph science.