X Report 27 May 2025
Today marks a significant day for SpaceX as the company prepares for the 9th test flight of its Starship-Super Heavy rocket, alongside a successful launch of 24 Starlink satellites to polar orbit.
INTELSAT 3-F8 (04478)
COSPAR: 1970-055A | Alt Name: INTELSAT III F-8
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
July 23, 1970
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC17A
Launch Vehicle
Thor Delta M
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
04478
International Designator
1970-055A
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 02:56:38 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
5.50°
Right Ascension
69.15°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
117.39°
Period
1408.10 min
Mean Motion
1.02 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
INTELSAT 3-F8
Alternative Name
INTELSAT III F-8
Type
Payload
Status
Non-operational
Owner
INTEL
Country
INTELSAT
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 04478U 70055A 26185.12266756 -.00000262 00000-0 00000-0 0 9998
2 04478 5.5013 69.1472 0318461 117.3907 250.3338 1.02265448123001
Source: Celestrak
Summary
Apologies, there is no summary for this satellite yet. I am working to generate these for every object in the catalog, but it is going to take time.
Physical Characteristics
Length
1.5
Diameter
1.5
Span
1.5
Dry Mass
113
Launch Mass
135
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
2.5135
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
INTELSAT III F-8
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
TRW
Life Expectancy
5 years
Bus
INTELSAT 3
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
MRE-4
Equipment
2 transponders
Power System
Solar cells (body mounted), 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.
The Dog They Never Planned to Bring Home
On April 14, 1958, Sputnik 2 burned up over the North Atlantic, carrying the remains of a stray dog from Moscow who had been dead for five months. The Soviet Union told the world she survived for days. It took forty-five years for the truth to come out.
X Report 18 Nov 2024
SpaceX launches multiple satellites, prepares for Starship Flight 6, and exciting collaborations with AST SpaceMobile.
The Day Humanity Got Its First Close-up of the Future Apollo Landing Site
Sixty years ago, a pioneering spacecraft called Ranger 8 captured thousands of detailed photographs of the lunar surface before intentionally crashing into the Moon, helping pave the way for humanity's first steps on another world
Crew-11 Emergency Evacuation Raises Space Rescue Alarm | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX Crew-11 made an emergency return from the ISS on Jan. 15 after a medical crisis, spotlighting gaps in space rescue infrastructure.
Starlink Crosses 10,000 Active Satellites, X Report 18 Mar 2026
Starlink satellite count 2026: SpaceX tops 10,000 active satellites, 10,037 working of 11,558 launched, under seven years after first launch.
Space Brief 16 May 2025
Today's brief covers challenges in Space Force procurement, promising developments in tracking technologies, and significant budget cuts affecting military aerospace projects.
The Day Two Satellites Said Hello at 26,000 Miles Per Hour
Seventeen years ago today, an operational American communications satellite and a dead Russian military relay crossed paths over Siberia. What happened next created more than 2,000 pieces of trackable debris - and fundamentally changed how the world thinks about space traffic.