Space Brief 16 May 2025
Today's brief covers challenges in Space Force procurement, promising developments in tracking technologies, and significant budget cuts affecting military aerospace projects.
Launch Date
December 5, 1963
Launch Site
AFWTR
Launch Pad
75-1-1
Launch Vehicle
Thor Ablestar
NORAD ID
00704
International Designator
1963-049B
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 02:55:46 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
89.92°
Right Ascension
70.31°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
249.80°
Period
106.89 min
Mean Motion
13.47 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Name
TRANSIT 5B-2
Alternative Name
Transit VBN-2
Type
Status
Owner
BUWEPS
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
1 00704U 63049B 26185.12206090 .00000082 00000-0 12003-3 0 9994
2 00704 89.9228 70.3059 0032983 249.8032 275.2626 13.47128399 73601
Source: Celestrak
Apologies, there is no summary for this satellite yet. I am working to generate these for every object in the catalog, but it is going to take time.
Length
0.6
Diameter
0.5
Span
30
Dry Mass
75
Launch Mass
75
Shape
Oct Cyl + Cyl + Ant
Radar Cross Section
1.1223
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Payload
Transit VBN-2
Purpose
Navigation
Mission
Navigation
Manufacturer
APL
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Transit 5
Configuration
Transit-Bus
Motor
?
Equipment
?
Power System
SNAP-9A RTG
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
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