United States Air ForceAtlas SLV-3 Burner-2576A1, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Radcat
Launched
October 2, 1972
Image: USAF
Summary
Radcat launched on an United States Air Force Atlas SLV-3 Burner-2 from 576A1, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on October 2, 1972. It was United States Air Force's 584th launch, 20th this year and humanity's 1,389th orbital launch attempt. It was the 2nd Atlas SLV-3 Burner-2 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Radcat, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 733 × 760 km orbit inclined 98.4°. 5 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Vehicle
- Atlas SLV-3 Burner-2 · United States Air Force
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Test Target · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 2nd Atlas SLV-3 Burner-2 flight · 1st this yearUnited States Air Force's 584th launch20th this yearhumanity's 1,389th orbital launch attempt83rd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Radcat · NORAD 6212 · 1972-076 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 5 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- OPS 8180 (RADCAT)
- Object ID
- 1972-076A
- Epoch
- 1972-10-02 22:56:08 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.45800759 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0019426
- Inclination
- 98.4371°
- Ascending node
- 9.0215°
- Arg. of perigee
- 258.3292°
- Mean anomaly
- 101.5667°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 2
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
5 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage, 2 components; 2 still in orbit
- Radcat · NORAD 6212 · re-entered August 2, 2012
- P72-1 · NORAD 6217 · in orbit
Burner II No. 23 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Cylindrical satellite used to calibrate optical and radar ground equipment.
Pad
576A1, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
1st launch from 576A1, 1st this year · 389th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
1 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
under an hour after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Radcat launch?
Radcat launched on October 2, 1972. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Radcat?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Radcat?
Atlas SLV-3 Burner-2, flown by United States Air Force. Atlas SLV-3 Burner-2 spec sheet
Where did Radcat launch from?
576A1, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA.
What orbit did Radcat reach?
Radcat, one of 5 catalogued objects, reached a 733 × 760 km orbit inclined 98.4°.
How many satellites did Radcat launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 1 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).