Poppy 1A

American spy satellite. Poppy 1A was launched on December 13, 1962 aboard a Thor Agena D from Vandenberg. Latest status in GCAT: reentered (orbital decay) (Feb 9, 1967).

COSPAR 1962 B TAU 1NORAD 502United States

Identity

Name in GCAT: NRL PL120
Common name: Poppy 1A
Payload designation: POPPY 1 Alfa
Other names: NRO Mission 7101A,Black Sphere?
International designator: 1962 B TAU 1
NORAD catalog number: 502
GCAT identifier: S00502
UN registration: A/AC.105/INF.026

Mission

Mission type: Signals intelligence
Use: Defense
Program: POPPY
Owner: NRO
Country: United States
Builder: Naval Research Lab
Platform (bus): NRL 20"

Launch

Date: December 13, 1962 · 04:07 UTC
Launch record: 1962 B TAUSuccess
Rocket: Thor Agena D
Spaceport: Vandenberg · pad 75-1-1

Orbit and fate

Orbit class (GCAT): LEO/I
Perigee: 233 km
Apogee: 2,747 km
Inclination: 70.34°
Status: Reentered (orbital decay)
Status date: February 9, 1967
Last known active: May 4, 1965
End of operations: December 1965

Size

Mass: 25 kg
Dry mass: 25 kg
Length: 0.5 m
Diameter: 0.50 m
Span: 0.6 m

Launched together

Injun 3Space science · NRL Calsphere 1ACalibration · NRL SURCAL 1ACalibration · NRL Poppy 1BSignals intelligence · NRO

Source: GCAT payload, deep-space and lander catalogs, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata Q9174128 (CC0).