RAX (USA 218)

Track RAX (USA 218) now!
10-day predictions
RAX (USA 218) is classified as:

NORAD ID: 37223

Int'l Code: 2010-062B

Perigee: 593.6 km

Apogee: 613.2 km

Inclination: 72.0 °

Period: 96.6 minutes

Semi major axis: 6974 km

RCS: Unknown

Launch date: November 20, 2010
Source: United States (US)
Launch site: Kodiak Island, Alaska (KODAK)

Uplink (MHz):
Downlink (MHz): 437.505
Beacon (MHz):
Mode: 9600bps GMSK
Call sign: RAX-1
Status: Inactive

The Radio Aurora Explorer, or RAX, is a 6-pound (28-kg) nanosatellite. It's a joint effort of the University of Michigan and SRI International, and it's sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation. RAX's primary mission is to study dense plasma clouds in Earth's upper atmosphere. These clouds can disrupt communication between Earth and orbiting spacecraft, and RAX's operators hope the little satellite's measurements can help minimize communication problems in the future.

1 37223U 10062B   24139.62508099  .00009396  00000-0  96382-3 0  9992
2 37223  71.9723 326.4630 0014078  46.8759 313.3584 14.90534778   613

Source of the keplerian elements: AFSPC