The Day We Lost Apollo 1
Fifty-eight years ago, a tragic fire during a routine test transformed spacecraft design and created the foundation of modern spaceflight safety culture
Launch Date
November 20, 1998
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC39A
Launch Vehicle
NORAD ID
55129
International Designator
1998-067UW
Decay Date
10/11/2023
Name
SPORT
Alternative Name
SPORT
Type
Status
Owner
ITA/GSFC
Country
Brazil
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Length
0.2
Diameter
0.3
Span
0.3
Dry Mass
10
Launch Mass
10
Shape
Box
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
SPORT
Purpose
Technology
Mission
Technology
Manufacturer
ITA
Life Expectancy
1 year
Bus
Cubesat 6U
Configuration
CubeSat (6U)
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Solar cells, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Fifty-eight years ago, a tragic fire during a routine test transformed spacecraft design and created the foundation of modern spaceflight safety culture
Today's brief covers crucial developments in satellite technology and operations, including new Starlink launches, groundbreaking satellite data on flood waves, and pivotal changes in South African telecom policy driven by Starlink.
SpaceX's S-1 reveals $18.7B in revenue as Starship Flight 12 debuts Block 3 hardware from Pad 2 on May 21, 2026.
Key highlights include the launch of a Navy SEAL astronaut to the ISS, multi-billion dollar contracts awarded by the US Space Force, advancements in secure GPS technology, and a strategic ISR arrangement.
SpaceX marks a successful launch of 21 Starlink satellites, follows up after Starship explosion, and influences Qantas flights amid a busy operational schedule.
SpaceX progresses with plans for Starship launches from a ULA site while continuing its Starlink expansion. New satellite tracking update enhances user engagement.
Forty years ago today, Challenger lifted off LC-39A on a science mission that nobody outside Morton-Thiokol would call dangerous. Years later, after the orbiter and seven other astronauts were gone, investigators looked at the recovered boosters from STS-51B and realized the crew had come within a fraction of a second of dying first. This is the story of the launch that should have been a warning.
SpaceX successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites, enhancing Direct to Cell capabilities from Florida's Space Coast.