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PORCUPINE 1, 1272

Orbit data source: Space-Track

PORCUPINE 1, 1272 is a payload satellite owned by NRL (US) in LEO that was launched on Tue, 09 Mar 1965 UTC via a THOR SLV-2 AGENA D launch vehicle from the Air Force Western Test Range (AFWTR). Payload-class satellites include a variety of spacecraft equipped with specific instruments for various scientific and technological missions. These include communications satellites like Starlink; space stations such as the ISS; scientific satellites like the Hubble; Earth observation satellites from companies like Planet Labs, Umbra, and HawkEye 360; GPS; miniature CubeSats for education and research; and military/defense satellites.

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Iframe embed code

<iframe src="https://www.satcat.com/sats-embedded/1272?theme=dark&initialShowStats=false" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0" title="Kayhan Space Satcat Satellite Viewer"></iframe>

Iframe URL

https://www.satcat.com/sats-embedded/1272?theme=dark&initialShowStats=false

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ISO8601 Format

Identifier

1272, 1965-016H

Orbit

LEO

Country

Related business

United States Navy (US)

Manufacturer

NRL

Mission

Defense Calibration

Bus & Motor

NRL 9", Unknown motor

Mass

4 kg wet, 4 kg dry

Launch date (UTC)

1965-03-09 (60 years ago)

Launch vehicle

THOR SLV-2 AGENA D

Launch site

Air Force Western Test Range (AFWTR)

Object type

Payload

Rocket body

Debris

Shape & HBR

Sphere + 12 Rod, 7.6 m

Radar Cross Section

0.031 m², Medium (>0.1 m² and < 1m²)

Expand to show TLE details & history
Last TLE update: 8 hours ago

TLE from 8 hours ago

0 PORCUPINE 1
1 01272U 65016H   25242.85867264  .00000026  00000-0  58427-4 0  9999
2 01272  70.0802 146.4047 0020618 149.2877 210.9440 13.94491884 75904

Epoch: 2025-08-30T20:36Z

TLE epoch observation values (Epoch: 2025-08-30T20:36:29.316Z)

Latitude

0.00001°

Longitude

-142.00438°

Altitude

928.151 km

Speed

7.382 km/s

True Right ascension

09h 45m 37s

True Declination

0° 00' 00"

Sunlit

Object was in daylight at epoch

Visualization orbit readout

Latitude

Unknown

Longitude

Unknown

Altitude

Unknown

Speed

Unknown

Apparent Right ascension

Unknown

Apparent Declination

Unknown

Sunlit

N/A

Visualization observer readout

Local Sidereal Time

20:19:21

Azimuth

Unknown

Elevation

Unknown

Doppler factor

Unknown

Orbital elements

Apogee altitude

925.997 km

Perigee altitude

895.939 km

Semi-major axis

7,289.105 km

Eccentricity

0.00206

Inclination

70.0802°

RAAN

146.4047°

Arg. of periapsis

149.2877°

True anomaly

210.82278°

Mean anomaly

210.944°

Eccentric anomaly

210.88336°

Mean motion

3.48764 °/min

Orbital period

103.22 mins

BSTAR

0.000058427

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Other satellites on launch #16 in the year 1965 (1965-03-09 UTC)

OPS 4988 (GREB 6), 1271

SURCAL 2, 1310 (Decayed)

THOR AGENA D R/B, 1245

OPS 4988 DEB, 12099

GGSE 3 DEB, 44043

PORCUPINE 1 Visibility forecast

Observer location: undefined°, undefined°
Set Observer location

Span	Click to sort rows by Start time (UTC) header in descending order	Start Az.	Max El. time (UTC)	Max El. Az.	Max El.	End time (UTC)	End Az.
9 mins	2025-08-31 05:48:21.569Z	313.772° NW	2025-08-31 05:53:21.569Z	253.647° W	26.553°	2025-08-31 05:57:21.569Z	202.538° SW
4 mins	2025-08-31 17:25:21.569Z	112.896° SE	2025-08-31 17:26:21.569Z	102.507° ESE	12.767°	2025-08-31 17:29:21.569Z	72.037° E
10 mins	2025-08-31 19:07:21.569Z	206.08° SW	2025-08-31 19:11:21.569Z	235.086° WSW	44.51°	2025-08-31 19:17:21.569Z	23.157° NE
5 mins	2025-08-31 20:56:21.569Z	292.123° WNW	2025-08-31 20:58:21.569Z	314.104° NW	14.664°	2025-08-31 21:01:21.569Z	345.508° N
9 mins	2025-09-01 04:10:21.569Z	350.105° N	2025-09-01 04:14:21.569Z	64.508° ENE	39.571°	2025-09-01 04:19:21.569Z	137.9° SSE