X Report 22 Feb 2025
SpaceX secures NASA contract for NEO Surveyor launch and prepares for upcoming Starship test flight.
STARLINK-6331 (57351)
COSPAR: 2023-099Z | Alt Name: Starlink 6331
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
July 16, 2023
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC40
Launch Vehicle
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
57351
International Designator
2023-099Z
Epoch
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:36:13 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
43.00°
Right Ascension
224.84°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
276.57°
Period
94.27 min
Mean Motion
15.28 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Explore in the Catalog
Basic Satellite Info
Name
STARLINK-6331
Alternative Name
Starlink 6331
Type
Payload
Status
Operational
Owner
SPXS
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 57351U 23099Z 26200.40015784 .00000916 00000+0 42815-4 0 9992
2 57351 43.0028 224.8366 0001573 276.5670 83.5003 15.27577320166269
Source: Celestrak
Summary
The STARLINK-6331 satellite, also known as Starlink 6331, is a communication satellite launched by SpaceX on July 16, 2023, from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. With dimensions of 0.2 meters in length and 2.8 meters in diameter, it features a span of 9 meters. The spacecraft has a dry mass of 290 kilograms and a launch mass of 305 kilograms. It is equipped with Ku/Ka-band payload capabilities and optical inter-satellite links, powered by solar arrays and batteries, and uses krypton ion thrusters for propulsion. This satellite is part of the Starlink Group 5-15-24 constellation and was launched to provide communication services.
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
290
Launch Mass
305
Shape
Box + pan
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Starlink Group 5-15-24
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
SPXS
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Starlink
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Krypton ion thrusters
Equipment
Ku/Ka-band payload, optical inter-satellite link
Power System
Solar arrays, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Map
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Crew-11 Medical Evacuation Set for January 14, Starlink Mission Succeeds | KeepTrack X Report
NASA confirms first-ever ISS medical evacuation for January 14 via Crew Dragon. SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites in third mission of 2026. Artemis 2 moon mission timeline unaffected.
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 Brief 9 Jan 2025
Today's briefing includes new appointments in U.S. military and defense sectors, X-37B's continued mission, and international policy shifts affecting satellite technology sales.
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.
X Report 30 Aug 2025
SpaceX impresses with the successful launch of 24 Starlink satellites and shares stunning visuals from the recent Starship Flight 10, which demonstrated remarkable landing precision.
Reentry
What happens when space objects come home: the fiery physics of returning from orbit and why predicting where debris lands is so difficult
Space Brief 15 Feb 2025
Today's highlights include SpaceX's record-setting Starlink launch, Redwire's contract for USSF, and military satellite developments.