Approximate orbit · United States

USA 186

APPROX

USA 186 (NORAD 28888) 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

264 to 466 km up · tilted 96.9° · 91.8 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
19 Oct 2005
COSPAR ID
2005-042A
NORAD ID
28888

The United States' UN registration gives its orbit as about 164 to 1,046 km up, tilted 97.8°, 96.7 min a lap (ST/SG/SER.E/484, 26 Jan 2006). 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
Optical imaging

Independent assessment

GCAT classes it as a military satellite for optical imaging, 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

Found this useful? Share it

Open the globe →

azmth is a free, real-time satellite tracker showing every active satellite on an interactive 3D globe. No signup, no ads.