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USA 12, 16117

Orbit data source: Space-Track

USA 12, 16117 is an American payload satellite in GEO that was launched on Thu, 03 Oct 1985 UTC via an SPACE SHUTTLE launch vehicle from the Air Force Eastern Test Range (AFETR). 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 src="https://www.satcat.com/sats-embedded/16117?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/16117?theme=dark&initialShowStats=false

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ISO8601 Format

Identifier

16117, 1985-092C

Orbit

GEO

Last TLE update

16 hours ago

Origin

United States Air Force (US)

Manufacturer

GE/MSVD

Mission

Defense Communications

Bus & Motor

DSCS III, AOCS

Mass

~1,170 kg wet, 893 kg dry

Launch date (UTC)

1985-10-03 (40 years ago)

Launch vehicle

SPACE SHUTTLE

Launch site

Air Force Eastern Test Range (AFETR)

Object type

Payload

Rocket body

Debris

Shape & HBR

Hex Poly + 2 Pan, 1.93 m

Radar Cross Section

8.439 m²

Expand to show TLE details & history

TLE from 16 hours ago

0 USA 12
1 16117U 85092C   25195.39756102 -.00000019  00000-0  00000-0 0  9996
2 16117  14.4618 348.7449 0006866 130.1945 220.9950  0.98987495 22370

Epoch: 2025-07-14T09:32Z

TLE epoch observation values (Epoch: 2025-07-14T09:32:29.272Z)

Latitude

-2.21852°

Longitude

-95.48118°

Altitude

36,172.544 km

Speed

3.06 km/s

True Right ascension

22h 40m 35s

True Declination

-2° 12' 59"

Sunlit

Object was in daylight at epoch

Visualization orbit readout

Latitude

-10.32686°

Longitude

138.01054°

Altitude

36,154.966 km

Speed

3.061 km/s

Apparent Right ascension

14h 17m 29s

Apparent Declination

-17° 32' 36"

Sunlit

Object is in daylight

Visualization observer readout

Local Sidereal Time

13:52:26

Azimuth

172.938° S

Elevation

32.245°

Doppler factor

Orbital elements

Apogee altitude

36,180.681 km

Perigee altitude

36,122.279 km

Semi-major axis

42,529.617 km

Eccentricity

0.00069

Inclination

14.4618°

RAAN

348.7449°

Arg. of periapsis

130.1945°

True anomaly

Unknown

Mean anomaly

220.995°

Eccentric anomaly

Unknown

Mean motion

0.24746 °/min

Orbital period

1,454.78 mins

BSTAR

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16117 neighbors

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Other satellites on launch #92 in the year 1985 (1985-10-03 UTC)

STS 51J, 16115 (Decayed)

USA 11, 16116

IUS R/B(1), 16118

IUS R/B(2), 16119

USA 12 Visibility forecast

Observer location: undefined°, undefined°

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.
1440 mins	2025-07-15 01:20:17.344Z	172.94° S	2025-07-15 16:25:17.344Z	172.367° S	40.923°	2025-07-16 01:20:17.344Z	178.822° S

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Check out USA 12, 16117 on other resources

View USA 12, 16117 on NASA - NSSDCA Website

View USA 12, 16117 on Heavens-Above

View USA 12, 16117 on Keep Track

View USA 12, 16117 on Celestrak

View USA 12, 16117 on Gunter's Space Page

Satcat and Kayhan Space are not affiliated with NASA, Celestrak, Heavens-Above, Keep Track, or Gunter's Space Page.