Space Brief 16 Apr 2025
Today's highlights include Pulsar Fusion's groundbreaking nuclear rocket plans, partnerships for the Haven-1 space station, and a spotlight on military collaboration in quantum technology.
NORAD ID
56163
International Designator
2023-050B
Epoch
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:21:56 GMT
Apogee
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Perigee
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Inclination
81.00°
Right Ascension
40.23°
Eccentricity
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Argument of Perigee
226.96°
Period
103.97 min
Mean Motion
13.85 rev/day
Latitude
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Longitude
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Altitude
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Velocity
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Name
CHECKMATE 5
Alternative Name
Checkmate 5
Type
Status
Owner
SDA
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 56163U 23050B 26200.84856683 .00000043 00000+0 28429-4 0 9994
2 56163 80.9995 40.2261 0005719 226.9593 133.1085 13.84989188166683
Source: Celestrak
Length
1
Diameter
0.6
Span
2
Dry Mass
300
Launch Mass
300
Shape
Box + panels
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
SDA-0A TPL York-05
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
YORKSS
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
S-Class
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Today's highlights include Pulsar Fusion's groundbreaking nuclear rocket plans, partnerships for the Haven-1 space station, and a spotlight on military collaboration in quantum technology.
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Today's brief covers new military space funding, intriguing scientific discoveries, and defense contracts impacting global military strategies.
On April 25, 1990, the Space Shuttle Discovery's robotic arm lifted a 11,110-kilogram barrel of mirrors and instruments out of the payload bay and released it into orbit. Six weeks later, the first images came back badly out of focus. The Hubble Space Telescope had been ground to the wrong prescription, and America had just spent $2.5 billion on what the press was calling a 'technoturkey.'
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