Shenzhou-23 Docks at Tiangong; Crew Member Targets 1-Year Stay | KeepTrack Space Brief
Shenzhou-23 docked with Tiangong May 24 with 3 astronauts, including Hong Kong's first crew member. One will stay ~1 year in orbit.
ARIANE 5 R/B (43568)
COSPAR: 2018-060E | Alt Name: Ariane 5 L596 EPS
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
July 25, 2018
Launch Site
FRGUI
Launch Pad
ELA3
Launch Vehicle
Ariane 5ES
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
43568
International Designator
2018-060E
Epoch
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 11:40:38 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
56.98°
Right Ascension
338.39°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
263.09°
Period
831.28 min
Mean Motion
1.73 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
ARIANE 5 R/B
Alternative Name
Ariane 5 L596 EPS
Type
Rocket Body
Status
Space Junk
Owner
AESP
Country
France
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 43568U 18060E 26184.48655783 -.00000074 00000-0 00000-0 0 9990
2 43568 56.9845 338.3936 0004346 263.0862 96.8583 1.73227646 50253
Source: Celestrak
Summary
A rocket body, also commonly referred to as an upper stage or spent rocket stage, is the structural shell left behind after a rocket has delivered its payload to orbit. These large and often heavy pieces of space hardware can remain in orbit for years, posing significant collision hazards as part of the growing space debris problem. If left uncontrolled, rocket bodies have the potential to reenter Earth's atmosphere unpredictably, which can lead to falling debris in populated areas. Additionally, they risk colliding with operational satellites or the International Space Station, creating more debris and putting human life at risk.
Physical Characteristics
Length
4.5
Diameter
3.9
Span
4.5
Dry Mass
3300
Launch Mass
3300
Shape
Cone+Cyl
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
EPS S/N 533
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
ADSB
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
EPS+
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Aestus
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
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 4 Dec 2025
SpaceX successfully launched another batch of Starlink satellites and received approval for a new Starship launch site, while facing challenges with crew assignments on upcoming missions.
X Report 1 Apr 2025
SpaceX launches its first crewed mission over Earth's poles and FAA concludes investigation into the Starship Flight 7 incident.
Space Brief 24 Aug 2025
Today's brief covers SpaceX's secretive military launch, advancements in nuclear fusion, and groundbreaking observations of dying stars and supernovae.
Army Recruiting 1,000 Space Specialists Alongside Space Force | KeepTrack Space Brief
Army launches space career field seeking 1,000 new specialists. HASC chair Rogers eyes $1.5T defense budget. Army and Marines share fire mission data via JADC2.
Rocket Lab to Acquire Iridium for $8B, X Report 30 Jun 2026
Rocket Lab will acquire Iridium for $8B to challenge SpaceX, whose Starlink constellation holds 10,706 working satellites of 12,390 launched.
X Report 29 Apr 2025
SpaceX achieves a significant milestone with its 250th Starlink mission, and Starlink eyes expansion into South Korea amid rising global demand for satellite internet. Meanwhile, Amazon's Project Kuiper launches its first operational mission, marking increased competition for Starlink.
Starlink Constellation Size Nears 10,000, X Report 16 Mar 2026
Starlink constellation size in March 2026: 9,996 satellites in orbit and 9,986 working from 11,504 launched, as SpaceX deorbits legacy V1.0 hardware.