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NIMBUS 2, 2173

Orbit data source: Space-Track

NIMBUS 2, 2173 is a payload satellite owned by GSFC (US) in SSO that was launched on Sun, 15 May 1966 UTC via a THOR SLV-2A AGENA B 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 src="https://www.satcat.com/sats-embedded/2173?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/2173?theme=dark&initialShowStats=false

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ISO8601 Format

Identifier

2173, 1966-040A

Orbit

SSO

Country

Related business

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (US)

Manufacturer

GE/MSVD

Mission

Non-operational Civil Weather

Bus & Motor

NIMBUS, Unknown motor

Mass

414 kg wet, 414 kg dry

Launch date (UTC)

1966-05-15 (59 years ago)

Launch vehicle

THOR SLV-2A AGENA B

Launch site

Air Force Western Test Range (AFWTR)

Object type

Payload

Rocket body

Debris

Shape & HBR

Cone + 2 Pan, 1.7 m

Radar Cross Section

2.947 m², Large (>1 m²)

Expand to show TLE details & history
Last TLE update: 14 hours ago

TLE from 14 hours ago

0 NIMBUS 2
1 02173U 66040A   25242.12440009 -.00000042  00000-0  11595-4 0  9996
2 02173 100.5642  87.3930 0054697 258.5929 220.2038 13.33700937884827

Epoch: 2025-08-30T02:59Z

TLE epoch observation values (Epoch: 2025-08-30T02:59:08.167Z)

Latitude

59.95198°

Longitude

-97.24505°

Altitude

1,174.384 km

Speed

7.257 km/s

True Right ascension

19h 04m 24s

True Declination

59° 48' 39"

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

08:58:13

Azimuth

Unknown

Elevation

Unknown

Doppler factor

Unknown

Orbital elements

Apogee altitude

1,171.273 km

Perigee altitude

1,089.137 km

Semi-major axis

7,508.342 km

Eccentricity

0.00547

Inclination

100.5642°

RAAN

87.393°

Arg. of periapsis

258.5929°

True anomaly

219.80131°

Mean anomaly

220.2038°

Eccentric anomaly

220.00235°

Mean motion

3.33601 °/min

Orbital period

107.91 mins

BSTAR

0.000011595

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Other satellites on launch #40 in the year 1966 (1966-05-15 UTC)

NIMBUS 2 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.
12 mins	2025-08-31 02:24:04.969Z	23.553° NE	2025-08-31 02:30:04.969Z	104.114° ESE	42.113°	2025-08-31 02:36:04.969Z	183.482° SSW
8 mins	2025-08-31 04:12:04.969Z	341.184° N	2025-08-31 04:16:04.969Z	297.257° NW	22.596°	2025-08-31 04:20:04.969Z	256.576° W
11 mins	2025-08-31 12:44:04.969Z	125.987° SE	2025-08-31 12:49:04.969Z	65.295° ENE	33.349°	2025-08-31 12:55:04.969Z	359.611° N
11 mins	2025-08-31 14:30:04.969Z	200.57° SSW	2025-08-31 14:35:04.969Z	256.495° W	31.141°	2025-08-31 14:41:04.969Z	324.816° NNW