Approximate orbit · United States

USA 179

APPROX

USA 179 (NORAD 28384) is a satellite whose full orbit is not public. What is published: its height and tilt, drawn to scale, and who operates it.

Orbit

Approximate orbit, direction and position not public

898 to 39,459 km up · tilted 64.1° · 717.8 min a lap · as listed on 14 Oct 2026

Its height and tilt are public. Which way its orbit faces, and where it is, are not, so azmth shows no position or pass times.

Why some orbits are not public →

Diagram by azmth: size, shape and tilt to scale, from the catalogue's figures. It shows no place on Earth.Which way the high point faces is not published.

Height and tilt: CelesTrak and Space-Track.org, as listed on 14 Oct 2026

Catalogue

Country
United States
From GCAT (14 Oct 2026)
Launched
31 Aug 2004
COSPAR ID
2004-034A
NORAD ID
28384

The United States registered the orbit it was launched into: about 267 to 15,379 km up, tilted 58°, 280.7 min a lap (ST/SG/SER.E/458, 13 Dec 2004). Where it works now is not published. The United States gives its function as “Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communications”.

Who operates it

MilitaryUnited StatesActive
Communications

Independent assessment

GCAT classes it as a military satellite for communications, lists its owner as National Reconnaissance Office and records it as active (14 Oct 2026).

Data: GCAT · CC BY 4.0 Class, mission and status adapted from GCAT by Jonathan McDowell, CC BY 4.0, data update 14 Oct 2026.

Military satellites, counted and explained →

CelesTrak record

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