The Day We First Landed on Venus
On December 15, 1970, a battered Soviet probe accomplished something no spacecraft had done before - it survived landing on another world and lived to tell about it.
OBJECT E (59681)
COSPAR: 2024-085E | Alt Name: CZ-6C Y1 Stage 2
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
May 7, 2024
Launch Site
TAISC
Launch Pad
TYSC -
Launch Vehicle
Chang Zheng 6C
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
59681
International Designator
2024-085E
Decay Date
1/22/2026
Explore in the Catalog
Basic Satellite Info
Name
OBJECT E
Alternative Name
CZ-6C Y1 Stage 2
Type
Rocket Body
Status
Space Junk
Owner
MAI
Country
China
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
A rocket body, also commonly referred to as an upper stage or spent rocket stage, is the structural shell left behind after a rocket has delivered its payload to orbit. These large and often heavy pieces of space hardware can remain in orbit for years, posing significant collision hazards as part of the growing space debris problem. If left uncontrolled, rocket bodies have the potential to reenter Earth's atmosphere unpredictably, which can lead to falling debris in populated areas. Additionally, they risk colliding with operational satellites or the International Space Station, creating more debris and putting human life at risk.
Physical Characteristics
Length
8
Diameter
2.9
Span
8
Dry Mass
3000
Launch Mass
3000
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
CZ-6 Stage 2
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
SAST
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
CZ-6 Stage 2
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Space Brief 27 Aug 2025
Today's key space events include SpaceX's launch of the secretive X-37B military drone, XTAR's U.S. defense market strategy, and China's space station AI upgrade.
Space Brief 16 Sep 2024
Highlights of the day include the Polaris Dawn mission's splashdown, advances in space traffic management, and intriguing astronomy insights from the cloud's edge.
Space Force Opens Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg Pads to New Launch Providers | KeepTrack Space Brief
Space Force issues call for launch providers at Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg. Vandenberg opens Space Launch Complex 14 bidding with Feb 12 deadline. Electra pitches hybrid aircraft to Pentagon.
The $30 Million Toilet That Keeps Breaking on the Way to the Moon
Sixty years of space toilet engineering, a decade of development, and a $30 million contract - and the Artemis II crew still had to pee in bags on Day 1.
X Report 5 Apr 2025
SpaceX secures major U.S. military contracts, Fram2 concludes historic mission, and preparations for another Starlink launch.
The Day Fiery Failure Launched NASA
Sixty-eight years ago, America's first satellite exploded on the launchpad in front of the entire world. But from the ashes of Vanguard TV-3 came the determination that would eventually win the Space Race.
Suborbital Tourism Scorecard 2026, the Edge of Space Goes Quiet
Twenty-two years after SpaceShipOne, the two companies that defined suborbital tourism are both sitting on the ground. Blue Origin parked New Shepard in January, Virgin Galactic has not flown a customer since 2024, and the math behind the whole business is finally getting an honest look.