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SURCAL 159, 2872

Orbit data source: Space-Track

SURCAL 159, 2872 is a payload satellite owned by NRL (US) in LEO that was launched on Wed, 31 May 1967 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/2872?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/2872?theme=dark&initialShowStats=false

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ISO8601 Format

Identifier

2872, 1967-053F

Orbit

LEO

Last TLE update

12 hours ago

Origin

United States Navy (US)

Manufacturer

NRL

Mission

Operational Defense Calibration

Bus & Motor

NRL 14"?, Unknown motor

Mass

3 kg wet, 3 kg dry

Launch date (UTC)

1967-05-31 (58 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, 0.4 m

Radar Cross Section

0.126 m², Medium (>0.1 m² and < 1m²)

Expand to show TLE details & history

TLE from 12 hours ago

0 SURCAL 159
1 02872U 67053F   25181.88130620  .00000030  00000-0  57630-4 0  9993
2 02872  69.9747  37.2377 0008219 228.1215 131.9191 13.99480768961054

Epoch: 2025-06-30T21:09Z

TLE epoch observation values (Epoch: 2025-06-30T21:09:04.855Z)

Latitude

-0.0001°

Longitude

160.78268°

Altitude

901.905 km

Speed

7.399 km/s

True Right ascension

02h 28m 57s

True Declination

0° 00' 00"

Sunlit

Object was in daylight at epoch

Visualization orbit readout

Latitude

46.34704°

Longitude

-177.98036°

Altitude

908.064 km

Speed

7.4 km/s

Apparent Right ascension

06h 25m 29s

Apparent Declination

8° 37' 07"

Sunlit

Object is in daylight

Visualization observer readout

Local Sidereal Time

21:02:09

Azimuth

45.824° ENE

Elevation

-29.456°

Doppler factor

Orbital elements

Apogee altitude

899.613 km

Perigee altitude

887.659 km

Semi-major axis

7,271.773 km

Eccentricity

0.00082

Inclination

69.9747°

RAAN

37.2377°

Arg. of periapsis

228.1215°

True anomaly

Unknown

Mean anomaly

131.9191°

Eccentric anomaly

Unknown

Mean motion

3.50012 °/min

Orbital period

102.85 mins

BSTAR

0.00005763

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Other satellites on launch #53 in the year 1967 (1967-05-31 UTC)

OPS 5712 (P/L 160), 2826

THOR AGENA D R/B, 2825

GGSE 4, 2828

GGSE 5, 2834

TIMATION 1, 2847

OPS 5712 (P/L 152), 2873

OPS 5712 (P/L 153), 2874

SURCAL 150B, 2909

P/L 153 DEB, 19245

P/L 153 DEB, 39247 (Decayed)

SURCAL 159 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.
7 mins	2025-07-01 14:25:53.245Z	137.46° SSE	2025-07-01 14:28:53.245Z	104.757° ESE	17.444°	2025-07-01 14:32:53.245Z	60.675° ENE
9 mins	2025-07-01 16:09:53.245Z	219.986° SW	2025-07-01 16:13:53.245Z	290.6° WNW	41.834°	2025-07-01 16:18:53.245Z	16.459° NNE
10 mins	2025-07-02 01:09:53.245Z	340.603° N	2025-07-02 01:14:53.245Z	80.102° E	43.656°	2025-07-02 01:19:53.245Z	148.486° SSE
4 mins	2025-07-02 02:57:53.245Z	277.756° WNW	2025-07-02 02:58:53.245Z	266.416° W	14.83°	2025-07-02 03:01:53.245Z	233.256° WSW

Authenticating...

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Check out SURCAL 159, 2872 on other resources

View SURCAL 159, 2872 on NASA - NSSDCA Website

View SURCAL 159, 2872 on Heavens-Above

View SURCAL 159, 2872 on Keep Track

View SURCAL 159, 2872 on Celestrak

View SURCAL 159, 2872 on Gunter's Space Page

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