Space Brief 7 Nov 2024
Today's Space Brief covers major upcoming launches from SpaceX, US military missile tests, and developments in Virgin Galactic's fleet expansion. Stay informed on key satellite events and launch updates.
STARLINK-2172 (47755)
COSPAR: 2021-017AK | Alt Name: Starlink 2172
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
March 4, 2021
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC39A
Launch Vehicle
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
47755
International Designator
2021-017AK
Decay Date
4/30/2022
Basic Satellite Info
Name
STARLINK-2172
Alternative Name
Starlink 2172
Type
Payload
Status
Decayed
Owner
SPXS
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
The STARLINK-2172 satellite, also known as Starlink 2172 and identified by OBJECT_ID 2021-017AK, was launched on March 4, 2021, from Launch Pad LC39A at AFETR using a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. It is part of the Starlink constellation, owned by SpaceX (SPXS), with dimensions measuring 0.2 meters in length, 2.8 meters in diameter, and has a span of 9 meters. The satellite's dry mass is 248 kilograms, and its launch mass was 260 kilograms. It features a Ku/Ka-band payload, optical inter-satellite links (prototypes), and krypton ion thrusters for propulsion. Equipped with solar arrays and batteries for power, the mission of STARLINK-2172 is to provide communication services from space.
Starlink is a satellite constellation developed by SpaceX with the aim of providing global broadband internet coverage. Thousands of small satellites are deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO), enabling high-speed internet access even in remote areas. However, the rapid increase in satellites raises concerns about space debris and the potential for collisions, which can lead to further debris creation and endanger other spacecraft. Additionally, the sheer number of Starlink satellites can affect astronomical observations by increasing light pollution. Proper deorbiting plans and international coordination are essential to mitigate these challenges and ensure long-term sustainability in space.
Starlink is a satellite constellation developed by SpaceX with the aim of providing global broadband internet coverage. Thousands of small satellites are deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO), enabling high-speed internet access even in remote areas. However, the rapid increase in satellites raises concerns about space debris and the potential for collisions, which can lead to further debris creation and endanger other spacecraft. Additionally, the sheer number of Starlink satellites can affect astronomical observations by increasing light pollution. Proper deorbiting plans and international coordination are essential to mitigate these challenges and ensure long-term sustainability in space.
Physical Characteristics
Length
0.2
Diameter
2.8
Span
9
Dry Mass
248
Launch Mass
260
Shape
Box + pan
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Starlink V1.0-L17-34
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
SPXS
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Starlink
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Krypton ion thrusters
Equipment
Ku/Ka-band payload (all), optical inter-satellite links (a few prototypes)
Power System
Solar arrays, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
The Day Two Satellites Hit Each Other at 26,000 MPH
On February 10, 2009, an active Iridium communications satellite and a derelict Soviet military spacecraft slammed into each other 789 kilometers above Siberia. The collision produced more than 2,300 pieces of trackable debris that are still up there. Seventeen years later, the Iridium-Cosmos collision remains the event that made space debris a policy problem the world could no longer ignore.
Space Force Awards Counter-Surveillance Payload Contracts | KeepTrack Space Brief
Space Force RCO awarded SBIR contracts for radar-detection payloads to counter adversary surveillance of U.S. satellites. Follow-on miniaturization effort already planned.
A Tribute to Albert Einstein
Ask anyone on the street who the smartest person ever was, and most will say Albert Einstein. Exactly 71 years ago today, this genius departed from the world. Today, we examine Einstein's innumerable contributions to astronomy and how he shaped space history for years to come.
Starship V3 Static Fire Ignites 33 Engines, X Report 15 Apr 2026
SpaceX fired all 33 Raptor 3 engines in the Starship V3 static fire at Starbase, clearing Flight 12. Plus 1,000 Starlink satellites launched in 2026.
X Report 12 Apr 2025
Key developments include the launch of Starshield satellites for the NRO and updates on Starlink launches and NASA access concerns involving Elon Musk's team.
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.
Falcon 9 Lands in Bahamas for 2nd Time, Reentry Pollution Measured | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX lands Falcon 9 in The Bahamas for the second time ever during Starlink 10-34 mission. Scientists measure rocket reentry air pollution in real-time for the first time.