X Report 30 Nov 2024
SpaceX executes dual Starlink launches and secures Dragonfly mission contract while managing NRO satellite deployment.
STARLINK-31204 (58731)
COSPAR: 2024-005D | Alt Name: Starlink 31204
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
January 7, 2024
Launch Site
Launch Pad
LC40
Launch Vehicle
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
58731
International Designator
2024-005D
Decay Date
9/13/2025
Explore in the Catalog
Basic Satellite Info
Name
STARLINK-31204
Alternative Name
Starlink 31204
Type
Payload
Status
Decayed
Owner
SPXS
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
The Starlink-31204 satellite, designated as NORAD_CAT_ID 58731 and OBJECT_ID 2024-005D, is part of the Starlink v2 Mini configuration owned by SpaceX (SPXS). It was launched on January 7, 2024, from AFETR's LC40 using a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The satellite has dimensions of 0.3 meters in length and 4.1 meters in diameter with a span of 29 meters. Equipped with Ku/Ka/E-band payload and an optical inter-satellite link, it also features Argon ion thrusters for propulsion and solar arrays paired with batteries for power. The satellite's dry mass is 700 kg while its launch mass was 730 kg. It serves a communication mission and has a box plus pan shape design.
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
0.3
Diameter
4.1
Span
29
Dry Mass
700
Launch Mass
730
Shape
Box + pan
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Starlink Group 6-35-04
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
SPXS
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Starlink V2M
Configuration
Starlink v2 Mini
Motor
Argon ion thrusters
Equipment
Ku/Ka/E-band payload, optical inter-satellite link
Power System
Solar arrays, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Three Chinese Rocket Bodies Exploded, Generating Decades of LEO Debris | KeepTrack Space Brief
Three Chinese rocket bodies have exploded over four years, creating debris clouds that will linger for decades to centuries, according to LeoLabs analysis. Fragmentation events threaten commercial and military operators.
Mike Melvill, 124 Meters, and the Morning Space Went Private
On 21 June 2004, a 63-year-old test pilot rode a homebuilt rocket plane to 100,124 meters above the Mojave Desert, clearing the edge of space by about the length of a city block. He came down the first private astronaut in history, holding a sign that read 'SpaceShipOne, GovernmentZero.'
Apophis 2029 Flyby: ESA-JAXA Joint Mission Locked In | KeepTrack Space Brief
ESA and JAXA finalize collaboration for asteroid Apophis 2029 flyby at 32,000 km—closer than geostationary orbit. Historic near-Earth encounter being heavily observed.
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.
X Report 24 Nov 2024
SpaceX cancels Texas land-swap deal amid growing Starship presence and launches 20 Starlink satellites using the 400th Falcon 9 rocket.
Space Brief 14 Sep 2025
Today's highlights include SpaceX's 300th Starlink launch, NASA re-establishing contact with a TRACERS satellite, and budget concerns impacting the commercial remote sensing industry.
Starship V3 Debuts Flight 12 With First-Ever Self-Imaging Maneuver | KeepTrack X Report
SpaceX's Starship V3 targets Flight 12 with an unprecedented self-inspection maneuver, while Delta Air Lines walks away from Starlink inflight Wi-Fi.