Space Brief 23 Dec 2025
Today's briefing covers the Long March 12A's first launch, a major advance in space radio communication, and highlights from key military developments impacting space operations.
THORAD DELTA 1 DEB (42607)
COSPAR: 1974-089FY | Alt Name: deb Delta 104
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
November 15, 1974
Launch Site
AFWTR
Launch Pad
SLC2W
Launch Vehicle
Delta 2310
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
42607
International Designator
1974-089FY
Decay Date
1/15/2023
Basic Satellite Info
Name
THORAD DELTA 1 DEB
Alternative Name
deb Delta 104
Type
Debris
Status
Space Junk
Owner
GSFC
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
0.0101
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.
Space Brief 25 May 2025
Today's brief covers crucial developments in satellite technology and operations, including new Starlink launches, groundbreaking satellite data on flood waves, and pivotal changes in South African telecom policy driven by Starlink.
Space Brief 19 Feb 2025
Today's brief covers launches by SpaceX and mysterious Space Force missions, along with updates on Japan's moon lander and US-UAE defense deals.
Space Situational Awareness (SSA)
How our ability to track and predict objects in orbit has become the foundation of space safety in an increasingly crowded cosmic neighborhood
X Report 3 Nov 2025
SpaceX completed a successful Bandwagon rideshare mission, launching a private space station pathfinder along with multiple satellites, marking another significant milestone in 2025's launch schedule.
Sally Ride and the Twenty Years It Took America to Catch Up
At 7:33 on the morning of 18 June 1983, a 32-year-old astrophysicist named Sally Ride rode Challenger off Pad 39A and became the first American woman in space. She got there two decades after the Soviets, and only after months of being asked whether spaceflight would damage her reproductive organs and whether she planned to cry.
Space Brief 26 Oct 2024
Explore the recent signing of the Artemis Accords by Chile, Boeing's strategic considerations, and captivating space missions including China's satellite endeavors and the James Webb Space Telescope's latest discovery.
Project Vanguard
How the U.S. Navy's Vanguard rocket became a Cold War icon, launched the world's oldest satellite still in orbit, and laid the groundwork for NASA's space exploration efforts.