Space Brief 9 Oct 2025
Today's briefing covers key developments in defense budgets reshaping the space sector, significant Space Force contracts, and the latest news from the Chinese space station.
Launch Date
September 11, 2022
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC39A
Launch Vehicle
NORAD ID
53807
International Designator
2022-111AL
Epoch
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:38:11 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
53.23°
Right Ascension
242.69°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
285.16°
Period
93.59 min
Mean Motion
15.39 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Name
BLUEWALKER-3
Alternative Name
BlueWalker 3
Type
Status
Owner
ASTS
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 53807U 22111AL 26200.40152100 .00002815 00000+0 82884-4 0 9992
2 53807 53.2278 242.6898 0004640 285.1596 74.8896 15.38634996215162
Source: Celestrak
Length
1
Diameter
1
Span
9
Dry Mass
1500
Launch Mass
1500
Shape
Box + plate
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
BlueWalker 3
Purpose
Communications, technology
Mission
Communications, technology
Manufacturer
ASTS
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
BW3
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Today's briefing covers key developments in defense budgets reshaping the space sector, significant Space Force contracts, and the latest news from the Chinese space station.
SpaceX's Starlink V2 promises 100x data density for 5G direct-to-phone service. Deutsche Telekom targets 10 European countries by 2028.
On July 11, 2026, a Portuguese satellite named after a Nobel laureate became the first object to carry catalog number 100000. It broke a five-digit numbering limit that had held since Sputnik, and exposed how unprepared decades of tracking software is for a sky this crowded.
Today's highlights include SpaceX's Dragon cargo mission to the ISS, the first wooden satellite launch, and updates on NASA's Voyager mission. Additionally, the Space Force's X-37B space plane showcases unique aerobraking strategies.
The compact data format that describes every tracked satellite orbit in just two lines of text, and how to read it
SpaceX achieves a new launch record with its Starlink mission, NASA's Perseverance rover captures eerie Martian winds, and Buzz Aldrin endorses Trump. Plus, discussions around space debris and military space tech agreements.
Rocket Lab will acquire Iridium for $8B to challenge SpaceX, whose Starlink constellation holds 10,706 working satellites of 12,390 launched.
SpaceX continues to break records with its Falcon 9 missions while facing public scrutiny from Elon Musk regarding NASA's leadership. Meanwhile, satellite spectrum battles heat up as Lynk Global and Omnispace prepare to merge.