Satellite Catalog Number

The Satellite Catalog Number (also known as NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense) Catalog Number, NORAD ID, NASA catalog number, USSPACECOM object number or simply catalog number and similar variants) is a sequential five-digit number assigned by USSTRATCOM (United States Strategic Command) in order of discovery to all artificial objects in Earth orbit and space probes launched from Earth.[1] The first catalogued object, catalog number 00001, is the Sputnik 1 launch vehicle, with the Sputnik 1 satellite assigned catalog number 00002.[2]

Objects that fail to orbit or orbit for a short time are not catalogued.[3] The minimum object size in the catalog is 10 centimeters in diameter.[4] As of June 23, 2019, the catalog listed 44,336 objects including 8,558 satellites launched into orbit since 1957.[5] 17,480 of the objects were actively tracked while 1,335 were lost.[6] ESA estimates there are about 34,000 orbiting debris of the size USSTRATCOM is capable to track as of January 2019.[7]

Permanently catalogued objects are assigned numbers in 1-69999 range.[8] The catalog is expected to transition to 9-digit catalog numbers in 2020.[9]

USSTRATCOM shares the catalog via space-track.org website.[10] 18th Space Control Squadron (18 SPCS) is the unit that maintains the catalog.

History

Initially the catalog was maintained by NORAD but starting from 1985 USSPACECOM (United States Space Command) was tasked to detect, track, identify, and maintain a catalog of all man-made objects in Earth orbit.[11] In 2002 USSPACECOM was merged with USSTRATCOM.[12]

See also

References
  1. Kelso, T.S. (January 1998). "Frequently Asked Questions: Two-Line Element Set Format". Satellite Times. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  2. "SL-1 R/B Satellite details 1957-001A NORAD 1". Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  3. "Frequently Asked Questions". Space-Track.org. Retrieved July 14, 2019. Q: What criteria are used to determine whether an orbiting object should receive a catalogue number and International Designation? A: We must be able to determine who it belongs to, what launch it correlates to, and the object must be able to be maintained (tracked well).
  4. "Frequently Asked Questions". Space-Track.org. Retrieved June 23, 2019. 10 centimeter diameter or "softball size" is the typical minimum size object that current sensors can track and 18 SPCS maintains in the catalog.
  5. Kelso, T.S. "SATCAT Boxscore". CelesTrak. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  6. Kelso, T.S. "TLE History Statistics". CelesTrak. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  7. "Space debris by the numbers". ESA. January 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  8. "Conjunction Summary Message Guide" (PDF). space-track.org. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  9. Kelso, T.S. (May 27, 2020). "A New Way to Obtain GP Data (aka TLEs)". CelesTrak. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  10. "USSTRATCOM expands SSA data on Space-Track.org". Air Force Space Command. October 10, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  11. "Small Satellite Debris Catalog Maintenance Issues" (PDF). NASA. October 1, 1991. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  12. "US Policy and Capabilities on SSA" (PDF). Secure World Foundation. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
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