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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

Last TLE update

16 hours ago

Origin

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, 3.35 m

Radar Cross Section

2.947 m², Large (>1 m²)

Expand to show TLE details & history

TLE from 16 hours ago

0 NIMBUS 2
1  2173U 66040A   25128.53707187 -.00000001  00000-0  93708-4 0  9998
2  2173 100.5735 330.3859 0055501 163.6390 252.5158 13.33694727870155

Epoch: 2025-05-08T12:53Z

Definitive object data (Epoch: 2025-05-08T12:53:23.009Z)

Latitude

54.25348°

Longitude

-104.51811°

Altitude

1,154.399 km

Speed

7.275 km/s

True Right ascension

21h 01m 44s

True Declination

54° 05' 56"

Sunlit

Object was in daylight at TLE epoch

Visualization TLE readout

Latitude

63.33992°

Longitude

-110.5776°

Altitude

1,148.322 km

Speed

7.282 km/s

Apparent Right ascension

23h 26m 26s

Apparent Declination

21° 02' 17"

Sunlit

Object is in daylight

Visualization observer readout

Local Sidereal Time

13:17:08

Azimuth

28.282° NE

Elevation

-23.804°

Doppler factor

Orbital elements

Apogee altitude

1,171.901 km

Perigee altitude

1,088.557 km

Semi-major axis

7,508.366 km

Eccentricity

0.0055501

Inclination

100.5735°

RAAN

330.3859°

Arg. of periapsis

163.639°

True anomaly

251.91046°

Mean anomaly

252.5158°

Eccentric anomaly

252.213°

Mean motion

3.33599 °/min

BSTAR

0.000093708

Orbital period

107.91 mins

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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°

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.
11 mins	2025-05-09 12:09:31.382Z	118.351° SE	2025-05-09 12:14:31.382Z	64.533° ENE	28.407°	2025-05-09 12:20:31.382Z	2.758° NNE
11 mins	2025-05-09 13:55:31.382Z	191.931° SSW	2025-05-09 14:00:31.382Z	255.278° W	36.222°	2025-05-09 14:06:31.382Z	329.696° NNW
9 mins	2025-05-10 01:15:31.382Z	48.562° ENE	2025-05-10 01:19:31.382Z	93.673° ESE	24.05°	2025-05-10 01:24:31.382Z	147.776° SSE
11 mins	2025-05-10 03:01:31.382Z	0.717° NNE	2025-05-10 03:06:31.382Z	283.001° WNW	38.001°	2025-05-10 03:12:31.382Z	218.942° SW

Authenticating...

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Check out NIMBUS 2, 2173 on other resources

View NIMBUS 2, 2173 on NASA - NSSDCA Website

View NIMBUS 2, 2173 on Heavens-Above

View NIMBUS 2, 2173 on Keep Track

View NIMBUS 2, 2173 on Celestrak

View NIMBUS 2, 2173 on Gunter's Space Page

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