United States Air ForceThor Burner 2ASpace Launch Complex 10W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
DMSP-5B F5
Launched
March 16, 1974
Image: Gunter's Space Page
Summary
DMSP-5B F5 launched on an United States Air Force Thor Burner 2A from Space Launch Complex 10W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on March 16, 1974. It was United States Air Force's 615th launch, 3rd this year and humanity's 1,554th orbital launch attempt. It was the 5th Thor Burner 2A flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). DMSP 8531, one of 8 catalogued objects, reached a 745 × 895 km orbit inclined 98.9°. 8 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Thor Burner 2A · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)
- Milestone
- 5th Thor Burner 2A flight · 1st this yearUnited States Air Force's 615th launch3rd this yearhumanity's 1,554th orbital launch attempt16th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
DMSP 8531 · NORAD 7218 · 1974-015 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 8 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- OPS 8579 (DMSP 5B F5)
- Object ID
- 1974-015A
- Epoch
- 1974-03-16 09:04:40 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.23703289 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0104236
- Inclination
- 98.934°
- Ascending node
- 347.7809°
- Arg. of perigee
- 242.4119°
- Mean anomaly
- 116.6392°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 1
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: SSO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
8 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage, 6 debris; 5 still in orbit
- DMSP 8531 · NORAD 7218 · in orbit
Burner IIA No. 19 US SV-6
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Military meteorological satellite
Pad

Space Launch Complex 10W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
23rd launch from Space Launch Complex 10W, 1st this year · 411th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
31 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
211 days after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did DMSP-5B F5 launch?
DMSP-5B F5 launched on March 16, 1974. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch DMSP-5B F5?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched DMSP-5B F5?
Thor Burner 2A, flown by United States Air Force. Thor Burner 2A spec sheet
Where did DMSP-5B F5 launch from?
Space Launch Complex 10W, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit did DMSP-5B F5 reach?
DMSP 8531, one of 8 catalogued objects, reached a 745 × 895 km orbit inclined 98.9°.
How many satellites did DMSP-5B F5 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
