X Report 16 Feb 2025
SpaceX achieves a new milestone with the Falcon 9 and Starlink reshapes satellite connectivity landscape.
THOR ABLESTAR R/B (00953)
COSPAR: 1964-083A | Alt Name: Ablestar 017
Image
Additional Sources
Launch Details
Launch Date
December 13, 1964
Launch Site
AFWTR
Launch Pad
75-1-2
Launch Vehicle
Thor Ablestar
Orbital Elements
NORAD ID
00953
International Designator
1964-083A
Epoch
Sat, 04 Jul 2026 06:47:24 GMT
Apogee
Calculating...
Perigee
Calculating...
Inclination
90.03°
Right Ascension
193.19°
Eccentricity
Calculating...
Argument of Perigee
28.44°
Period
105.97 min
Mean Motion
13.59 rev/day
Latitude
Calculating...
Longitude
Calculating...
Altitude
Calculating...
Velocity
Calculating...
Polar Plot
3D Visualization
Basic Satellite Info
Name
THOR ABLESTAR R/B
Alternative Name
Ablestar 017
Type
Rocket Body
Status
Space Junk
Owner
AFSSD
Country
United States
Constellation
N/A
Related Satellites
Major Events
N/A
Latest TLEs
1 00953U 64083A 26185.28291810 .00000032 00000-0 31206-4 0 9992
2 00953 90.0329 193.1901 0032555 28.4365 342.7662 13.58839302 50900
Source: Celestrak
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
4.8
Diameter
1.4
Span
4.8
Dry Mass
600
Launch Mass
670
Shape
Cyl
Radar Cross Section
3.3725
Visual Magnitude
Unknown
Color
Unknown
Material Composition
Unknown
Technical Details
Payload
AJ10-104D
Purpose
Unknown
Mission
Unknown
Manufacturer
AJ
Life Expectancy
Unknown
Bus
Ablestar
Configuration
Unknown
Motor
Unknown
Equipment
Unknown
Power System
Unknown
ADCS
Unknown
Transmitter Frequency
Unknown
Map
Next Pass
Azimuth Elevation Time (Local)
Start Azimuth
Max Elevation
Stop Azimuth
Time Until
Pass Duration
Satellite Articles
View All Posts »Learn more about satellites and other related topics.
Space Brief 18 Nov 2024
Today’s Space Brief covers the deployment of a new optical sensor for the Space Force, SpaceX's recent Starlink satellite launch, and significant investment in space cargo vehicles.
Rocket Lab Neutron Books 5 Launches, Space Brief 8 May 2026
Rocket Lab Neutron launch schedule holds at Q4 2026 for the first flight as a five-launch contract lands; barge recovery starts on flight two.
The Satellites the Size of a Studio Apartment
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird constellation is a bet that raw aperture size wins. Each satellite unfolds a 64-square-meter phased-array antenna in orbit, the largest commercial antenna ever deployed. The company claims a stock smartphone on the ground can connect directly to it. The competition says the physics doesn't support that. Seventeen satellites in and a contract with AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone, somebody's math is wrong.
X Report 2 Jul 2025
SpaceX achieved significant milestones with the launch of its 500th Falcon 9 rocket and the deployment of a European weather satellite, showcasing its ongoing impact in space exploration and satellite technology.
The Day That Humans Discovered Rocket Fuel
On February 2, 1909, Robert Goddard made a revolutionary breakthrough in his notebook: liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen could achieve 50% efficiency in converting heat energy to kinetic energy for rocket propulsion
Space Brief 20 Dec 2025
Today's Space Brief focuses on multi-billion dollar contracts for missile-tracking satellites, developments in optical nuclear clock research, and innovative drone projects for military collaboration.
Space Brief 20 Sep 2025
Today's highlights include SpaceX's Starlink launch, NASA's revived lunar mission, and a spotlight on space-defense activities.