EXPLORER 20

Satellite information

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Satellite Type and Status

PAYLOADIN ORBIT

Key statistics

Satellite EXPLORER 20 at a glance.

Uptime

22230

Days in orbit

Revolutions

≈ 13.9

Per day

Orbit

LEO

Low Earth Orbit

Inclination

79.9

Latest

Satellite identification and parameters

Extended collection of information and parameters for EXPLORER 20.

Object identification

Identified? True

Debris? False

Object name: EXPLORER 20

International designator: 1964-051A

Object number (NORAD): 870

Object ID (CCSDS): 870

Country: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (US)

Current information (Y/N): Y

RCS size: MEDIUM

Orbital parameters

Period: 103.471 minutes

Inclination: 79.899 deg

SMA: 7300.833 km

Apoapsis: 994.191 km

Periapsis: 851.204 km

RAAN: 295.7472 deg

Eccentricy: 0.0097925

Argument of periapsis: 114.2915 deg

Mean anomaly: 246.8508 deg

Mean motion: 13.9169535 rev/day

Mean motion (dot): 0.00000094 rev/day2

B* drag term: 0.000064657 1/REarth

Two-line elements (TLE)

Creation date: July 5, 2025, 10:46 p.m.

Reference frame: TEME

Reference center: EARTH

Epoch: July 5, 2025, 5:34 p.m. UTC

TLE line 0: 0 EXPLORER 20

TLE line 1: 1 870U 64051A 25186.73236360 .00000094 00000-0 64657-4 0 9998

TLE line 2: 2 870 79.8990 295.7472 0097925 114.2915 246.8508 13.91695350 85727

Live tracking on map

Real-time ground track for satellite EXPLORER 20.

In-orbit conjunctions

A list of the most updated potential collisions computed for object EXPLORER 20.

Target Orbit TCA Probability of collision Miss distance Type
FENGYUN 1C DEB SSO 2025-02-23 19:43:33 0.0004545508 91.0 (m) DEBRIS
FENGYUN 1C DEB SSO 2024-12-01 00:38:23 0.0002640965 395.0 (m) DEBRIS
DELTA 1 DEB SSO 2024-11-27 06:02:29 0.0001129202 639.0 (m) DEBRIS
CZ-6A DEB SSO 2024-06-28 05:58:40 0.0006273393 452.0 (m) DEBRIS

Associated space launch

Explorer 20 (IE A, Ionospheric Explorer A, TOPSI, Top Side Explorer or S 48) was designed to measure electron distribution, ion density and temperature, and to estimate cosmic noise levels between 2 and 7 MHz.

EXPLORER 20 was lifted into orbit during the mission ‘Scout X-4 | Explorer 20’, on board a Scout X-4 space rocket.

The launch took place on Aug. 25, 1964, 1:43 p.m. from Space Launch Complex 5.

For more information about the launch, click the button.

Launch to space Scout X-4 | Explorer 20
Scout X-4 | Explorer 20

Agency: N/A

Status: Launch Successful

Launch date: Aug. 25, 1964, 1:43 p.m. UTC

Rocket: Scout X-4

Launch pad: Space Launch Complex 5

Location: Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

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