Space Brief 8 Feb 2025
Stay updated on key orbital events including Rocket Lab's upcoming launch, significant legislative moves in space traffic management, and changes in defense policies impacting space operations.
COSMOS 552 DEB (06397)
COSPAR: 1973-016C | Alt Name: Kapsula Kosmosa-552
DECAYED
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
March 22, 1973
Launch Site
PLMSC
Launch Pad
LC43/4
Launch Vehicle
Voskhod 11A57
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
06397
International Designator
1973-016C
Decay Date
4/9/1973
Basic Satellite Info
Name
COSMOS 552 DEB
Alternative Name
Kapsula Kosmosa-552
Type
Debris
Status
Space Junk
Owner
TSKBE3
Country
USSR
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Summary
Space debris, also known as space junk, encompasses all non-functional objects orbiting Earth such as defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions or disintegrations. Over time, this debris can accumulate and create an increasingly hazardous environment in orbit. Even tiny fragments, traveling at extremely high velocities, can inflict significant damage on operational satellites and spacecraft. If left unmanaged, the density of debris raises the risk of catastrophic collisions and further fragmentation, compounding the problem and threatening the safety and sustainability of space activities.
Physical Characteristics
Length
1
Diameter
1.8
Span
1.8
Dry Mass
630
Launch Mass
630
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
Unknown
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
Nauka 16KS No. 2L
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
TSKBE3
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Nauka
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.
X Report 28 Dec 2024
SpaceX wraps up a stellar year with Starship achievements and prepares for a lunar triple-shot in 2025.
X Report 24 Oct 2025
SpaceX achieves a new milestone with its record 139th launch of the year while competition heats up in satellite communications.
Pentagon Pulls the Plug on GPS OCX | The $8 Billion Ground System That Never Worked
On April 17, 2026, the U.S. Space Force officially cancelled the Next Generation Operational Control System after sixteen years of development, cost overruns, and testing failures. The $8 billion program was supposed to unlock the military's encrypted GPS signal. Instead, the satellites are flying with capabilities the ground can't command.
Space Brief 4 Sep 2025
Today's briefing covers a surprise launch by Israel, a milestone missile contract for Lockheed Martin, and updates on Indian missile defense strategies.
Pentagon Raises Golden Dome to $185B for Space Defense Layer | KeepTrack Space Brief
Pentagon increases Golden Dome missile defense budget by $10B to $185B, funding HBTSS hypersonic tracking constellation expansion. Three acceleration priorities announced.
Saltzman's Final Warning: Space Force Preps for War | KeepTrack Space Brief
Gen. Chance Saltzman warns of impending space conflict as SpaceX launches 21 SDA satellites from Vandenberg. Space Force shifts from support role to core deterrent.
108 Minutes That Changed Everything - and the 20-Year Echo That Followed
On April 12, 1961, a 27-year-old Soviet pilot rode a modified ICBM into orbit and came back alive after 108 minutes. Exactly twenty years later, two Americans climbed aboard an untested spacecraft covered in 31,000 ceramic tiles and bet their lives that the math was right.