Tables of operational military satellites
TED MOLCZAN and JOHN PIKE*
Table 1. US operational military satellites, as of 31 December 2004a
Common
name
Official
name
Intl
name
NORAD Launched
design.
(date)
Launcher
Launch
site
Perigee
(km)
Apogee
(km)
Incl.
(deg.)
Period
(min.)
Delta 6925
Delta 6925
Delta 6925
Delta 6925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
21 221
19 715
19 954
19 742
19 918
19 865
19 769
19 681
20 017
19 945
19 858
19 838
19 754
20 033
19 975
20 000
20 013
20 012
19 976
19 937
21 316
20 650
20 409
20 624
20 415
20 498
20 597
20 684
20 346
20 417
20 505
20 526
20 611
20 331
20 406
20 366
20 352
20 350
20 391
20 426
53.4
55.3
55.2
56.3
55.4
54.3
56.4
54.5
56.3
56.2
53.6
53.7
54.7
53.6
54.8
53.7
53.1
56.1
54.0
55.4
762.5
718.0
718.0
718.0
717.4
717.9
718.0
718.0
718.0
717.9
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
717.9
718.0
717.9
Comments
Navigation satellites in medium earth orbit
GPS 2-02
GPS 2-05
GPS 2-09
GPS 2A-01
GPS 2A-02
GPS 2A-03
GPS 2A-05
GPS 2A-06
GPS 2A-07
GPS 2A-08
GPS 2A-10
GPS 2A-11
GPS 2A-12
GPS 2A-13
GPS 2A-14
GPS 2A-15
GPS 2A-16
GPS 2A-17
GPS 2A-18
GPS 2A-19
SVN 13/USA 38
SVN 17/USA 49
SVN 15/USA 64
SVN 23/USA 66
SVN 24/USA 71
SVN 25/USA 79
SVN 26/USA 83
SVN 27/USA 84
SVN 32/USA 85
SVN 29/USA 87
SVN 31/USA 90
SVN 37/USA 91
SVN 39/USA 92
SVN 35/USA 94
SVN 34/USA 96
SVN 36/USA 100
SVN 33/USA 117
SVN 40/USA 126
SVN 30/USA 128
SVN 38/USA 134
1989-044A
1989-097A
1990-088A
1990-103A
1991-047A
1992-009A
1992-039A
1992-058A
1992-079A
1992-089A
1993-017A
1993-032A
1993-042A
1993-054A
1993-068A
1994-016A
1996-019A
1996-041A
1996-056A
1997-067A
20061
20361
20830
20959
21552
21890
22014
22108
22231
22275
22581
22657
22700
22779
22877
23027
23833
23953
24320
25030
10 June 89
11 Dec 89
1 Oct 90
26 Nov 90
4 July 91
23 Feb 92
7 July 92
9 Sep 92
22 Nov 92
18 Dec 92
30 Mar 93
13 May 93
26 June 93
30 Aug 93
26 Oct 93
10 Mar 94
28 Mar 96
16 July 96
12 Sep 96
6 Nov 97
Decommissioned May 2004
Decommissioned Feb 2004
*The authors wish to acknowledge the international group of hobbyists who annually produce 20,000 precise observations of over 120 US military satellites, from which they
derive accurate orbital elements. This small, informal group is the sole public source of orbital data for more than 40 of the satellites listed in these tables.
GPS IIR-02
GPS IIR-03
GPS IIR-04
GPS IIR-05
GPS IIR-06
GPS IIR-07
GPS IIR-08
GPS IIR-09
GPS IIR-10
GPS IIR-11
GPS IIR-12
GPS IIR-13
SVN 43/USA 132
SVN 46/USA 145
SVN 51/USA 150
SVN 44/USA 151
SVN 41/USA 154
SVN 54/USA 156
SVN 56/USA 166
SVN 45/USA 168
SVN 47/USA 175
SVN 59/USA 177
SVN 60/USA 178
SVN 61/USA 180
1997-035A
1999-055A
2000-025A
2000-040A
2000-071A
2001-004A
2003-005A
2003-010A
2003-058A
2004-009A
2004-023A
2004-045A
24876
25933
26360
26407
26605
26690
27663
27704
28129
28190
28361
28474
23 July 97
7 Oct 99
11 May 00
16 July 00
10 Nov 00
30 Jan 01
29 Jan 03
31 Mar 03
21 Dec 03
20 Mar 04
23 Jun 04
06 Nov 04
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
20 127
20 083
20 131
19 928
20 130
20 033
20 114
19 937
20 042
20 092
20 089
19 938
20 235
20 282
20 236
20 436
20 234
20 332
20 250
20 427
20 323
20 271
20 276
20 426
56.5
51.8
55.2
55.0
56.2
55.2
55.1
54.4
55.0
55.0
55.2
54.8
717.9
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
718.0
20167
22518
23945
25148
26948
28384
20641
21775
23893
8 Aug 89
2 Dec 92
3 July 96
29 Jan 98
10 Oct 01
31 Aug 04
8 June 90
8 Nov 91
12 May 96
STS 28
STS 53
Titan IVA
Atlas IIA
Atlas IIAS
Atlas IIAS
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
KSC
KSC
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
VAFB
VAFB
500
500
500
500
35 786
500
1 200
1 200
1 200
39 850
39 850
39 850
39 850
35 786
39 850
11600
11600
11600
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
0.0
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
717.7
717.7
717.7
717.7
1436.1
717.7
240.0
240.0
240.0
Prob. replaced by USA 137
Prob. replaced by USA 162
15 Mar 76
5 Dec 86
25 Sep 89
3 Sep 93
24 June 94
29 Jan 95
31 May 95
22 Oct 95
25 July 96
Titan 3C
Atlas
Atlas-G
Atlas I
Atlas I
Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas II
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
35 679
35 688
35 772
35 775
35 772
35 770
35 772
35 767
35 775
35 896
35 887
35 799
35 794
35 801
35 796
35 802
35 808
35 800
10.5
8.5
5.8
3.2
2.6
2.3
2.4
2.2
1.9
1436.1
1436.2
1436.1
1436.0
1436.1
1435.9
1436.1
1436.2
1436.1
107.4°W, Lincoln Exp. Sat.
100°W, CONUS, spare
23.0°W,Atlantic, spare
29°E
15.5°W
177°W
72°E
105°W
99.5°W
Communications satellites in elliptical orbit
SDS II-1c
SDS II-2c
SDS II-3
SDS III-1
SDS III-2
SDS III-3
SLDCOM 1
SLDCOM 2
SLDCOM 3
USA 40
USA 89
USA 125
USA 137
USA 162
USA 179
USA 59
USA 72
USA 119
1989-061B
1992-086B
1996-038A
1998-005A
2001-046A
2004-034A
1990-050A
1991-076A
1996-029A
+ COBRA BRASS (Capricorn)
+ COBRA BRASS (Aquila)
Communications satellites in geostationary orbit
LES 9c
FLTSAT 7c
FLTSAT 8c
UFO 02c
UFO 03
UFO 04 EHF
UFO 05 EHF
UFO 06 EHF
UFO 07 EHF
..
USA 20
USA 46
USA 95
USA 104
USA 108
USA 111
USA 114
USA 127
1976-023B
1986-096A
1989-077A
1993-056A
1994-035A
1995-003A
1995-027A
1995-057A
1996-042A
8747
17181
20253
22787
23132
23467
23589
23696
23967
Common
name
Official
name
Intl
name
NORAD Launched
design.
(date)
UFO 08 GBS
UFO 09 GBS
UFO 10 GBS
UFO 11 GBS
DSCS III B-5c
DSCS III A-2c
DSCS III B-14c
DSCS III B-12
DSCS III B-9c
DSCS III B-10c
DSCS III B-7
DSCS III B-13
DSCS III B-8
DSCS III B-11
DSCS III A-3
DSCS III B-6
Milstar-1
Milstar-2
Milstar-4
Milstar-5
Milstar-6
GeoLITE
USA 138
USA 140
USA 146
USA 174
USA 12/F3
USA 44/F4
USA 78/F5
USA 82/F6
USA 93/F7
USA 97/F8
USA 113/F9
USA 135/F10
USA 148/F11
USA 153/F12
USA 167/F13
USA 170/F14
USA 99/DFS-1
USA 115/DFS-2
USA 157
USA 164
USA 169
USA 158
1998-016A
1998-058A
1999-063A
2003-057A
1985-092C
1989-069B
1992-006A
1992-037A
1993-046A
1993-074A
1995-038A
1997-065A
2000-001A
2000-065A
2003-008A
2003-040A
1994-009A
1995-060A
2001-009A
2002-001A
2003-012A
2001-020A
25258
25501
25967
28117
16117
20203
21873
22009
22719
22915
23628
25019
26052
26575
27691
27875
22988
23712
26715
27168
27711
26770
1998-007A
1994-057A
1995-015A
1997-012A
1999-067A
2003-048A
25157
23233
23533
24753
25991
28054
Launcher
Launch
site
Perigee
(km)
Apogee
(km)
Incl.
(deg.)
Period
(min.)
16 Mar 98
20 Oct 98
24 Nov 99
18 Dec 03
3 Oct 85
4 Sep 89
11 Feb 92
2 July 92
19 July 93
28 Nov 93
31 July 95
24 Oct 97
21 Jan 00
20 Oct 00
11 Mar 03
29 Aug 03
7 Feb 94
6 Nov 96
27 Feb 01
16 Jan 02
8 Apr 03
18 May 01
Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas III-B
STS 51
Titan 34D
Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas II
Atlas IIA
Atlas IIA
Atlas IIA
Atlas IIA
Delta IV-M
Delta IV-M
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVB
Titan IVB
Titan IVB
Atlas IIA
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
KSC
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
35 766
35 747
35 769
35 773
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 784
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 766
35 784
35 754
35 769
35 786
35 801
35 830
35 802
35 799
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 792
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 810
35 792
35 822
35 808
35 786
1.7
2.4
2.5
4.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.4
5.2
3.5
3.0
0.0
1436.0
1436.2
1436.0
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
10 Feb 98
29 Aug 94
24 Mar 95
4 Apr 97
12 Dec 99
18 Oct 03
Taurus
Atlas E
Atlas E
Titan 2
Titan 2
Titan 2
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
784
833
835
833
830
838
785
849
845
845
842
851
108.0
98.5
98.8
98.6
98.6
98.9
100.6
101.8
101.8
101.8
101.7
101.9
Comments
172°E
22.5°W
72°E
172°E
150°W, W. Pacific Residual #1
130°W, E. Pacific Residual
45°W, W. Atlantic Residual
60°E, Indian Ocean
180°E, W. Pacific Residual #2
57°E, Indian Ocean Residual
52.4°W, W. Atlantic
135°W, W. Pacific
175°E, W. Pacific
12°W, E. Atlantic
177.5°E, Pacific
120°W, Americas
67.9°W, Americas
4.0°E, Europe
90.0°W, Americas
Weather satellites
GFO
DMSP 5D-2 F12
DMSP 5D-2 F13
DMSP 5D-2 F14c
DMSP 5D-3 F15
DMSP 5D-3 F16
..
USA 106
USA 109
USA 131
USA 147
USA 172
GeoSat follow-on
Back-up
Oscar 29c
Oscar 27
Oscar 23
Oscar 32
Oscar 25c
Oscar 31c
NNSS 30290
NNSS 30270
NNSS 30230
NNSS 30320
NNSS 30250
NNSS 30310
1987-080B
1987-080A
1988-033A
1988-033B
1988-074A
1988-074B
18361
18362
19070
19071
19419
19420
16 Sep 87
16 Sep 87
26 Apr 88
26 Apr 88
25 Aug 88
25 Aug 88
Scout G
Scout G
Scout G
Scout G
Scout G
Scout G
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
1 011
1 011
1 012
1 013
1 026
1 027
1 173
1 175
1 298
1 296
1 174
1 172
90.2
90.3
90.3
90.3
89.8
89.8
107.2
107.2
108.5
108.5
107.3
107.3
1989-046A
1990-095A
1991-080B
1994-084A
1997-008A
2000-024A
2001-033A
2004-004A
20066
20929
21805
23435
24737
26356
26880
28158
14 Jun 89
13 Nov 90
24 Nov 91
22 Dec 94
23 Feb 97
18 May 00
06 Aug 01
14 Feb 04
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
STS 44
Titan IVA
Titan IVB
Titan IVB
Titan IVB
Titan IVB
CCAFS
CCAFS
KSC
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
35 490
35 769
35 869
35 786
35 786
35 747
35 786
35 786
36 087
35 809
35 877
35 786
35 786
35 831
35 786
35 786
8.1
8.1
4.5
0.0
0.0
0.5
0.0
0.0
1436.1
1436.2
1440.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.2
1436.1
1436.1
1990-097B
1995-022A
1998-029A
2003-041A
1994-054A
1996-026A
1994-026A
1995-034A
1997-068A
20963
23567
25336
27937
23223
23855
23097
23609
25034
15 Nov 90
14 May 95
9 May 98
9 Sep 03
27 Aug 94
24 Apr 96
3 May 94
10 July 95
8 Nov 97
STS 38
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVB
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
KSC
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
33 862
1026
500
1604
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
35 786
37 713
39 334
39 850
38 768
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
6.4
63.7
63.4
63.2
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
717.6
717.7
717.9
16623
16624
16631
20642
20691
9 Feb 86
9 Feb 86
9 Feb 86
8 June 90
8 June 90
Atlas H
Atlas H
Atlas H
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
CCAFS
CCAFS
703
700
707
814
811
1 509
1 513
1 505
1 398
1 402
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
NORAD
Launched
Launch
Perigee
Apogee
Incl.
Period
Stored
Operational
Operational
Operational
Stored
Stored
Early-warning satellites in geostationary orbit
DSP F14b
DSP F15b
DSP F16
DSP F17
DSP F18
DSP F20
DSP F21
DSP F22
USA 39
USA 65
USA 75
USA 107
USA 130
USA 149
USA 159
USA 176
144.7°W
38.5°W
165°W
146.5°W
103°E
7.8°E
70°E
Electronic intelligence satellites
Orion/Magnum 3
Orion/Mentor 4
Orion/Mentor 5
Orion/Mentor 6
Mercury 1
Mercury 2
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trumpet 3
USA 67
USA 110
USA 139
USA 171
USA 105
USA 118
USA 103
USA 112
USA 136
Poss. replacement for USA 8
Poss. replacement for USA 48
+ HERITAGE
+ HERITAGE
+ EHF Polar Adjunct
Electronic ocean surveillance satellites
NOSS 1-7 SSU 1
NOSS 1-7 SSU 2
NOSS 1-7 SSU 3
NOSS 2-1 SSU 1
NOSS 2-1 SSU 2
USA 16
USA 17
USA 18
USA 60
USA 61
1986-014D
1986-014E
1986-014H
1990-050E
1990-050C
Common
Official
Intl
Manoeuvred in 2002
Manoeuvred in 2002
Manoeuvred in 2002
name
name
name
NOSS 2-1 SSU 3
NOSS 2-2 SSU 1
NOSS 2-2 SSU 2
NOSS 2-2 SSU 3
NOSS 2-3 SSU 1
NOSS 2-3 SSU 2
NOSS 2-3 SSU 3
NOSS 3-1 SSU 1
NOSS 3-1 SSU 2
NOSS 3-2 SSU 1
NOSS 3-2 SSU 2
USA 62
USA 74
USA 76
USA 77
USA 119
USA 120
USA 121
USA 160
..
USA 173
..
1990-050D
1991-076C
1991-076D
1991-076E
1996-029D
1996-029C
1996-029E
2001-040A
2001-040C
2003-054A
2003-054C
1995-066A
1996-072A
2001-044A
1990-019B
1999-028A
1991-017A
1997-064A
2000-047A
design.
(date)
Launcher
site
(km)
20692
21799
21808
21809
23862
23908
23936
26905
26907
28095
28097
8 June 90
8 Nov 91
8 Nov 91
8 Nov 91
12 May 96
12 May 96
12 May 96
8 Sep 01
8 Sep 01
2 Dec 03
2 Dec 03
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Atlas IIAS
Atlas IIAS
Atlas IIAS
Atlas IIAS
CCAFS
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
811
843
843
847
956
956
955
1 082
1 083
1 035
1 035
23728
24680
26934
20516
25744
21147
25017
26473
5 Dec 95
20 Dec 96
5 Oct 01
28 Feb 90
22 May 99
8 Mar 91
24 Oct 97
17 Aug 00
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVB
STS 36
Titan IVB
Titan IVA
Titan IVA
Titan IVB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
KSC
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
4 Nov 90
25 June 93
9 Mar 96
24 Apr 96
28 Aug 97
24 Feb 99
12 Mar 00
29 Jan 03
7 June 00
Atlas E
Scout
Pegasus XL
Delta 2
Pegasus XL
Delta 2
Taurus
Delta 7925
Pegasus
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
VAFB
CCAFS
VAFB
(km)
(deg.)
(min.)
1 402
1 370
1 370
1 366
1 257
1 256
1 258
1 130
1 130
1 178
1 178
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
63.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
107.4
406
279
398
724
2 686
639
654
674
803
1 016
896
732
3 133
646
660
682
97.8
98.0
97.9
66.2
63.4
68.0
57.0
68.0
96.8
97.7
97.7
99.4
148.5
97.6
97.9
98.3
613
750
795
894
791
820
520
519
403
745
876
824
903
822
833
548
798
1 601
89.8
89.5
90.1
99.2
70.0
99.0
97.3
39.8
68.9
98.4
101.2
101.1
103.0
101.1
101.5
95.4
97.9
105.2
Comments
Unacknowledged payload d
Unacknowledged payload d
Imagery intelligence satellites
Improved Crystal 2 USA 116
Improved Crystal 3 USA 129
Improved Crystal 4 USA 161
Misty 1e
USA 53
Misty 2e
USA 144
Lacrosse/Onyx 2 USA 69
Lacrosse/Onyx 3 USA 133
Lacrosse/Onyx 4 USA 152
Replaced USA 116
Oct 1997 orbit. De-orbited?
Probably not payload’s orbit f
Minor military/technology development satellites
Stacksat–TEX
RADCAL
REX II
MSX
FORTE
ARGOS
MTI
XSS-10
TSX-5
P87-2/USA 57
P92-1
P89-1A
MSX
P92-A
P91-1
P97-3
P95-2
1990-031B
1993-041A
1996-014A
1996-024A
1997-047A
1999-008A
2000-014A
2003-005B
2000-030A
20561
22698
23814
23851
24920
25634
26102
27664
26374
Transceiver experiment
Radar calibration
Radiation Experiment II
g
h
i
j
Experimental inspector satellite
k
MightySat II.1
P99-1
2000-042A
26414
19 July 00
Minotaur
CCAFS
492
517
97.8
94.6
Decayed Nov 2002
Note: In the column Launched (date), ‘00’ = 2000, ‘01’ = 2001, ‘02’ = 2002, etc.
a Figures in italics = orbital elements are estimated.
b Inactive/retired spacecraft.
c Back-up/spare spacecraft.
d Second NOSS payload was falsely identified as debris by USSTRATCOM.
e Low-observable, i.e. stealth satellite.
f Misty 2 would be in an orbit similar to that of Misty 1. Object in the tabulated orbit has characteristics of debris; perhaps a decoy.
g Midcourse Space Experiment. Space Based Visible camera now a USSTRATCOM satellite tracking sensor.
h Fast on-orbit recording transient events.
iAdvanced research and global observation satellite.
j Multi-spectral thermal imager.
k Tri-service experiments mission.
Table 2. Russian operational military satellites, as of 31 December 2004
Common
name
Official
name
Intl
name
NORAD Launched
design.
(date)
Launch
site
Launcher
Perigee
(km)
Apogee
(km)
Incl.
(deg.)
Period
(min.)
Comments
965
959
960
946
966
948
1 010
1 004
1 007
1 014
1 014
1 004
82.9
82.9
82.9
82.9
82.9
83.0
104.9
104.8
104.8
104.8
105.0
104.7
Plane 5
Plane 3, inactivea
Plane 6
Plane 4, inactivea
Plane 2
Plane 1
Navigation satellites in low earth orbit
Parus 89
Parus 90
Parus 91
Parus 92
Parus 93
Parus 94
Cosmos 2361
Cosmos 2366
Cosmos 2378
Cosmos 2389
Cosmos 2398
Cosmos 2407
1998-76A
1999-45A
2001-23A
2002-26A
2003-23A
2004-28A
25590
25892
26818
27436
27818
28380
24 Dec 98
26 Aug 99
29 May 01
28 May 02
4 Jun 03
22 Jul 04
Cosmos-3M
Cosmos-3M
Cosmos-3M
Cosmos-3M
Cosmos-3M
Cosmos-3M
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
26564
26565
26566
26988
26989
27617
27618
27619
28112
28113
28114
28508
28509
28510
13 Oct 00
13 Oct 00
13 Oct 00
1 Dec 01
1 Dec 01
25 Dec 02
25 Dec 02
25 Dec 02
10 Dec 03
10 Dec 03
10 Dec 03
26 Dec 04
26 Dec 04
26 Dec 04
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Proton-K
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
19 116
19 124
19 021
19 067
19 109
19 127
19 101
19 116
19 015
19 021
19 032
19 134
19 135
19 133
19 143
19 135
19 238
19 191
19 150
19 132
19 158
19 143
19 245
19 238
19 226
19 141
19 140
19 139
64.5
64.5
64.5
64.7
64.8
64.7
64.7
64.7
64.9
65.0
65.0
64.8
64.9
64.8
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
675.7
676.1
676.0
676.0
24728
24729
24730
25363
14 Feb 97
14 Feb 97
14 Feb 97
16 June 98
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
1 398
1 406
1 410
1 309
1 412
1 412
1 411
1 870
82.6
82.6
82.6
82.6
114.0
114.0
114.1
118.0
Navigation satellites in medium earth orbit
GLONASS 83 783
GLONASS 84 787
GLONASS 85 788
GLONASS 87 789
GLONASS 88 711
GLONASS 89 791
GLONASS 90 792
GLONASS 91 793
GLONASS 92 794
GLONASS 93 795
GLONASS 94 701
GLONASS 95 701
GLONASS 96 701
GLONASS 97 701
Cosmos 2374
Cosmos 2375
Cosmos 2376
Cosmos 2381
Cosmos 2382
Cosmos 2394
Cosmos 2395
Cosmos 2396
Cosmos 2402
Cosmos 2403
Cosmos 2404
Cosmos 2411
Cosmos 2412
Cosmos 2413
2000-63A
2000-63B
2000-63C
2001-53B
2001-53A
2002-60A
2002-60B
2002-60C
2003-56A
2003-56B
2003-56C
2004-53A
2004-53B
2004-53C
Communications satellites in low earth orbit
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Cosmos 2337
Cosmos 2338
Cosmos 2339
Cosmos 2352
1997-06D
1997-06E
1997-06F
1998-36A
Unhealthy since launch
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Strela-3
Cosmos 2353
Cosmos 2354
Cosmos 2355
Cosmos 2356
Cosmos 2357
Cosmos 2384
Cosmos 2385
Cosmos 2386
Cosmos 2390
Cosmos 2391
Cosmos 2400
Cosmos 2401
Cosmos 2408
Cosmos 2409
1998-36B
1998-36C
1998-36D
1998-36E
1998-36F
2001-58D
2001-58E
2001-58F
2002-36A
2002-36B
2003-37A
2003-37B
2004-37A
2004-37B
25364
25365
25366
25367
25368
27058
27059
27060
27464
27465
27868
27869
28419
28420
16 June 98
16 June 98
16 June 98
16 June 98
16 June 98
27 Dec 01
27 Dec 01
27 Dec 01
8 July 02
8 July 02
19 Aug 03
19 Aug 03
23 Sep 04
23 Sep 04
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
Tsyklon 3
1 July 98
28 Sep 98
8 July 99
20 July 01
25 Oct 01
2 Apr 03
19 Jun 03
18 Feb 04
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
4 July 00
28 Feb 99
28 Aug 00
6 Oct 01
27 Mar 04
Proton
Proton K
Proton K
Proton K
Proton K
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
1 299
1 306
1 302
1 296
1 292
1 409
1 414
1 401
1 465
1 463
1 466
1 464
1 468
1 471
1 865
1 867
1 864
1 863
1 859
1 415
1 415
1 415
1 505
1 499
1 507
1 498
1 493
1 493
82.6
82.6
82.6
82.6
82.6
82.5
82.5
82.5
82.5
82.5
82.5
82.5
82.5
82.5
117.9
118.0
117.9
117.8
117.7
114.1
114.2
114.0
115.7
115.7
115.7
115.6
115.6
115.6
Communications satellites in elliptical orbit
Molniya-3-49
Molniya-1-91
Molniya-3-50
Molniya-3-51
Molniya-3-52
Molniya-1-92
Molniya-3-53
Molniya-1-93
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
1998-40A
1998-54A
1999-36A
2001-30A
2001-50A
2003-11A
2003-29A
2004-05A
25379
25485
25847
26867
26970
27707
27834
28163
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
1 272
934
1 868
591
524
478
458
941
39 074
39 413
38 480
39 762
39 821
39 868
39 893
39 410
64.1
64.1
63.6
63.4
64.8
63.6
63.6
62.9
717.7
717.7
717.7
717.8
717.6
717.7
717.8
717.7
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
Baikonur
35 783
35 783
35 783
35 781
35 773
35 794
35 790
35 793
35 796
35 797
2.5
4.7
2.4
1.5
0.9
1436.1
1436.0
1436.0
1436.1
1436.0
Communications satellites in geostationary orbit
Potok/Geizer 11
Raduga 1-4
Raduga 1-5
Raduga 1-6
Raduga 1-7
Cosmos 2371 2000-36A
..
1999-10A
..
2000-49A
..
2001-45A
..
2004-10A
26394
25642
26477
26936
28194
79.8°E
34.7°E
44.5°E
69.8°E
84.8°E
Common
name
Official
name
Intl
name
NORAD Launched
design.
(date)
Launcher
Launch
site
Perigee
(km)
Apogee
(km)
Incl.
(deg.)
Period
(min.)
Molniya-M
Molniya-M
Plesetsk
Plesetsk
708
1035
39 631
39 315
65.3
63.4
717.5
717.7
35 795
0.7
1436.0
Comments
Early-warning satellites in elliptical orbit
Oko-81
Oko-82
Cosmos 2388 2002-17A
Cosmos 2393 2002-59A
27409
27613
1 Apr 02
24 Dec 02
26892
25 Aug 01 Proton
Baikonur 35 778
26069
28352
3 Feb 00
10 Jun 04
Baikonur
Baikonur
839
844
856
864
71.0
71.0
101.9
102.0
27053
28350
21 Dec 01 Tsyklon 2
28 May 04 Tsyklon 2
Baikonur
Baikonur
401
403
417
416
65.0
65.0
92.8
92.8
24827
27470
28396
6 June 97
25 July 02
24 Sep 04
Baikonur
Baikonur
Plesetsk
1 438
1 475
190
2 803
1 824
321
63.4
63.5
67.1
130.0
119.3
89.7
Early-warning satellites in geostationary orbit
Prognoz 13
Cosmos 2379 2001-37A
24.0°W, USA coverage
Electronic intelligence satellites
Tselina-2
Tselina-2
Cosmos 2369 2000-06A
Cosmos 2406 2004-21A
Zenit-2
Zenit-2
Electronic ocean surveillance satellites
US-PM 11
US-PM 12
Cosmos 2383 2001-57A
Cosmos 2405 2004-20A
Imagery intelligence satellites
Araks 1
Araks 2
Yantar-4K2
Cosmos 2344 1997-28A
Cosmos 2392 2002-37A
Cosmos 2410 2004-38A
Proton
Proton
Soyuz-U
Note: In the column Launched (date), ‘00’ = 2000, ‘01’ = 2001, ‘02’ = 2002, etc.
a Inactive as of Kettering Group report of 24 Aug 2004, via www.hearsat.org.
Decayed Mar 2004
Table 3. Rest of the world, operational military satellites, as of 31 December 2004
Mission
Common
name
Official
name
Intl
name
NORAD Launched
design.
(date)
Launcher
Launch
site
Perigee
(km)
Apogee
(km)
Incl.
(deg.)
Period.
(min.)
Comments
Leasat 5
SYNCOM IV-05
1990-002B
20410
9 Jan 90
STS 32
KSC
35 787
35 790
5.5
1436.1
100.0°E
Zhongxing-22
ZY 2-1
ZY 2-2
ZY 2-3
FSW 3-2
FSW 3-3
Beidou-01A
Beidou-01B
Beidou-01C
Shenzhou-5
ChinaSat-22
Zi Yuan 2
Zi Yuan 2B
Zi Yuan 2C
2000-003A
2000-050A
2002-049A
2004-044A
2004-033A
2004-039A
2000-069A
2000-082A
2003-021A
2003-045G
26058
26481
27550
28470
28402
28424
26599
26643
27813
28049
25 Jan 00
1 Sep 00
27 Oct 02
06 Nov 04
29 Aug 04
27 Sep 04
30 Oct 00
20 Dec 00
24 May 03
15 Oct 03
LM-3A
CZ-4B
CZ-4B
CZ-4B
CZ-2C
CZ-2D
LM-3A
LM-3A
LM-3A
CZ-2F
Xichang
Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Jiuquan
Xichang
Xichang
Xichang
Taiyuan
35 768
485
486
476
165
205
35 776
35 781
35 771
344
35 810
491
490
500
562
318
35 802
35 795
35 803
389
0.0
97.2
97.3
97.3
63.0
63.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
42.4
1436.1
94.4
94.4
94.4
91.5
89.8
1436.2
1436.1
1436.1
91.8
98.0°E
2003-009A
2003-009B
27698
27699
28 Mar 03 H2A
28 Mar 03 H2A
Tanegashima
Tanegashima
483
483
486
486
97.4
97.4
94.4
94.4
Optical
Radar
1991-001A
1993-076A
1990-001A
1990-079A
1998-002A
19990-09B
2001-005B
2001-005A
1995-033A
1999-064A
21047
22921
20401
20776
25134
25639
26695
26694
23605
25977
8 Jan 91
7 Dec 93
1 Jan 90
30 Aug 90
9 Jan 98
26 Feb 99
7 Feb 01
7 Feb 01
7 July 95
4 Dec 99
CCAFS
CCAFS
CCAFS
Kourou
CCAFS
Kourou
Kourou
Kourou
Kourou
Kourou
35 776
35 775
35 776
35 778
35 770
35 773
35 775
35 766
676
634
35 800
35 801
35 799
35 798
35 808
35 803
35 798
35 808
680
638
5.6
4.1
6.5
6.3
1.9
2.1
1.1
0.1
98.2
98.2
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.1
1436.2
1436.1
1436.1
1436.0
98.4
97.5
Australia
Comm.
China
Comm.
Imagery
Imagery
Imagery
Imagery
Imagery
Nav
Nav
Nav
Sigint
BNTS-1A
BNTS-1B
Shenzhou-5
De-orbitedc
Decayedd
139.9°E
80.4°E
110.5°E
Decayedb
Japan
Imagery
Imagery
IGS-1A
IGS-2A
Europe
Comm.
Comm.
Comm.a
Comm.a
Comm.a
Comm.
Comm.
Comm.
Imagery
Imagery
NATO 4A
NATO 4B
Skynet 4A
Skynet 4C
Skynet 4D
Skynet 4E
Skynet 4F
Sircal 1
Helios 1A
Helios 1B
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
Delta 7925
Delta 7925
Titan 3
Ariane-4
Delta 7925
Ariane-4
Ariane-4
Ariane-4
Ariane-4
Ariane-4
17.8°W
20.3°W, spare
34.0°W, spare
1.1°W, spare
34.4°W
52.9°E
6.0°E
16.1°E
Out of
servicee
Imagery
Helios 2A
..
2004-049A
28492
18 Dec 04 Ariane-5
Kourou
678
680
98.1
98.4
TES
..
2001-049A
26957
22 Oct 01 PSLV
SHAR
554
563
97.7
95.9
..
..
2000-079A
2002-025A
26631
27434
5 Dec 00 START-1
28 May 02 START-1
Plesetsk
Palmachim
499
477
503
483
97.4
143.5
94.7
94.1
..
..
..
1999-051A
2001-047A
2003-030A
25919
26953
27838
24 Sep 99 Athena 2
VAFB
18 Oct 01 Delta 2
VAFB
26 Jun 03 Pegasus XL VAFB
675
441
450
677
446
453
98.1
97.3
97.2
98.3
93.5
93.7
India
Imagery
Israel: commercial
Imagery
Imagery
EROS-A1
Ofeq-5
USA: commercial
Imagery
Imagery
Imagery
Ikonos 2
Quickbird 2
Orbview 3
Note: In the column Launched (date), ‘00’ = 2000, ‘01’ = 2001, ‘02’ = 2002, etc.
a Back-up/spare spacecraft.
b Orbital module from first piloted flight of Shenzhou spacecraft. Manoeuvred during 2003. Decayed May 2004.
c De-orbited 07 Nov 2004.
d De-orbited 09 Nov 2004.
e Removed from service and from operational orbit in Oct 2004.