X Report 6 Apr 2025
SpaceX's Fram2 mission lands in the Pacific, SpaceX secures U.S. military contracts, and Starlink expands with latest satellite launch.
FLOCK 4Y-33 (55042)
COSPAR: 2023-001AK | Alt Name: Flock 4y-33
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
January 3, 2023
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC40
Launch Vehicle
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
55042
International Designator
2023-001AK
Decay Date
9/24/2025
Explore in the Catalog
Basic Satellite Info
Name
FLOCK 4Y-33
Alternative Name
Flock 4y-33
Type
Payload
Status
Decayed
Owner
PLAN
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
FLOCK 4Y-33, also known as Flock 4y-33, is a CubeSat (3U) satellite owned by PLAN and launched on January 3, 2023, from LC40 at AFETR using the Falcon 9 launch vehicle. It has dimensions of 0.3 meters in length, 0.1 meters in diameter, and spans 0.3 meters across. The dry mass is 5.7 kg, which is also its launch mass. Equipped with PS0, PS1 or PS2 imaging payload (Dove 24bf), the satellite's mission is for technology purposes. It utilizes solar cells and batteries for power supply. FLOCK 4Y-33 has a shape described as Box+2 pan and is expected to have an operational lifetime of approximately one year in ISS orbit or two to three years in Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).
Physical Characteristics
Length
0.3
Diameter
0.1
Span
0.3
Dry Mass
5.7
Launch Mass
5.7
Shape
Box+2 pan
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Dove 24bf
Purpose
Technology
Mission
Technology
Manufacturer
PLAN
Life Expectancy
~ 1 year (ISS orbit); 2-3 years (SSO)
Bus
Cubesat 3U
Configuration
CubeSat (3U)
Motor
None (most); FEEP (#Flock-3p')
Equipment
PS0, PS1 or PS2 imaging payload
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
The Moon Landing That Almost Didn't Happen
Six hours behind schedule, with a backup engine system shuddering in lunar orbit and mission controllers in Houston running out of options, Apollo 16 came within one meeting of being sent home without landing. The problem was a wobble in a gimbal. The solution was math done under pressure.
Kratos Wins $447M Space Force MEO Missile Tracking Deal | KeepTrack Space Brief
Kratos awarded $447 million Space Force contract for Resilient Missile Warning Tracking ground ops center in Medium Earth Orbit, shifting missile detection away from vulnerable GEO satellites.
X Report 29 Jan 2025
Key developments include political attention on SpaceX's ISS crew return and competition forecasts between SpaceX and ULA for national security missions.
The End of Free Skies | FAA Starts Charging for Rocket Launches
On April 22, 2026, the FAA published a final rule implementing per-launch user fees for commercial space transportation — the first time the U.S. government has charged payload-based fees for rocket launches. Starting at 25 cents per pound with a $30,000 cap, the fees are modest today. By 2033, they won't be.
Space Brief 31 Mar 2025
Today's brief covers significant space events, including milestone national security certifications for ULA Vulcan and Rocket Lab, SpaceX's groundbreaking polar orbit mission, and a failed launch attempt by Isar Aerospace.
The Civilian Space Traffic System America Almost Didn't Build
For nearly two decades, the U.S. Air Force and Space Force have been the world's unofficial civilian space traffic control system. The Department of Commerce's Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS) is now taking over that job for commercial satellite operators - in stages, against persistent congressional pressure to kill the program, and with Department of Defense advocates pushing to make it happen before it is too late.
Falcon 9 Launches 25 Starlink Satellites After Weather Delays | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX launches 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg after multiple weather delays. 20th Falcon 9 mission of 2026 features second-ever booster landing near The Bahamas.