Space Brief 21 May 2025
Today's Space Brief covers significant events including a high-stakes missile defense program, recent Chinese satellite launches, military defense initiatives, and key profiles in defense leadership.
Launch Date
September 30, 1969
Launch Site
AFWTR
Launch Pad
SLC1W
Launch Vehicle
Thorad SLV-2G Agena D
NORAD ID
04258
International Designator
1969-082DB
Decay Date
9/16/1989
Name
THORAD AGENA D DEB
Alternative Name
deb Agena D
Type
Status
Owner
SAMSO
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Length
0
Diameter
0
Span
0
Dry Mass
0
Launch Mass
0
Shape
N/A
Radar Cross Section
0.0659
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
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
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Today's Space Brief covers significant events including a high-stakes missile defense program, recent Chinese satellite launches, military defense initiatives, and key profiles in defense leadership.
Twenty-four years ago, a spacecraft designed only to orbit made history with an improvised landing on asteroid Eros, marking humanitys first controlled touchdown on a small celestial body
Elon Musk confirms Starship V3 tower catch attempt plans with SN1 headed for ground tests. SpaceX wraps February with 83 Starlink satellites across three launches. 9,826 sats on orbit.
SpaceX faces a setback with a Falcon 9 upper stage reentry issue, while NASA selects SpaceX for a new mission. Starlink expansions continue with multiple satellite launches.
SpaceX scrubbed Starship Flight 12's V3 debut due to a hydraulic pin fault, then filed an $18.7B IPO S-1 targeting Nasdaq under ticker SPCX.
Today's key topics include delays in Vulcan's national security launches, a significant network upgrade contract for the Space Force, and military interest in SpaceX's Starship.
Space Force awards Lockheed Martin $514M for two additional GPS 3F satellites, bringing total orders to 14. New satellites add anti-jam features and upgraded civilian signals.
Today's Space Brief covers China's Haiyang-4 satellite launch, Intuitive Machines' Artemis infrastructure proposals, deployment of the GREMLIN sensor suite, and more.