The Day America's Spy Satellites Gained New Eyes
Sixty-three years ago, a Thor-Agena rocket launched the first dual-camera reconnaissance satellite, revolutionizing space-based intelligence while hiding behind the final use of a famous cover name
NORAD ID
61255
International Designator
2024-175N
Epoch
Mon, 20 Jul 2026 01:07:55 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
53.16°
Right Ascension
123.86°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
73.78°
Period
91.74 min
Mean Motion
15.70 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Name
STARLINK-11313 [DTC]
Alternative Name
Starlink 11313
Type
Status
Owner
SPXS
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 61255U 24175N 26201.04716633 -.00000257 00000+0 27344-5 0 9998
2 61255 53.1584 123.8648 0001008 73.7757 286.3372 15.69710389104155
Source: Celestrak
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
Payload
Starlink Group 9-8-13
Purpose
Communication
Mission
Communication
Manufacturer
SPXS
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Starlink V2M
Configuration
Starlink v2 Mini
Motor
Argon ion thrusters
Equipment
D2C payload, optical inter-satellite link
Power System
Solar arrays, batteries
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Sixty-three years ago, a Thor-Agena rocket launched the first dual-camera reconnaissance satellite, revolutionizing space-based intelligence while hiding behind the final use of a famous cover name
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded hours after USSF and NRO awarded national security launch contract. Impact on NSSL competition unclear.
SpaceX has seen a flurry of activity with successful launches, static-fire tests for Starship, and ongoing preparations for future objectives, marking an exciting time for the aerospace company.
Landsat 7 launched on April 15, 1999, designed to last five years. It operated for twenty-five, survived a failure that destroyed a fifth of every image it took, and became part of the longest continuous record of Earth's surface ever assembled. Then they made the data free.
Today's brief explores rising investments in space with defense ties, potential Space Force-NRO coordination, and more, offering insight into current military and defense satellite dynamics.
SpaceX successfully launched NASA's TRACERS mission while Starlink faced a brief global outage, affecting users worldwide.
Today's focus spans from major military training initiatives in orbit to key updates on drone policies and crucial satellite launches.
SpaceX conducted multiple successful launches this week, adding to its Starlink constellation and marking significant milestones in its ongoing missions.