Able III?

Re-entered 1 Jul 1961

Able III? (NORAD 15, COSPAR 1959 DEL 1) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jul 1961, launched on 7 Aug 1959. It was operated by GSFC as part of the ExplorerG programme. The spacecraft was built by TRW on the Able Probe bus, with a mass of 40 kg. Like most satellites in low orbits, it was gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until re-entry. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

1959

launched

1961

re-entered

years on orbit

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched7 Aug 1959

Operational6 Oct 1959 · entered service

Retired6 Oct 1959 · end of operational service

Re-entered1 Jul 1961 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID15

COSPAR1959 DEL 1

TypeSatellite

OperatorGSFC

Country / StateUS

ManufacturerTRW

BusAble Probe

Mass40 kg

ProgrammeExplorerG

CategorySCI

OrbitHEO (HEO)

Altitude250 × 42,327 km

Inclination47.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Able III??

Able III? re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jul 1961, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1959. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Able III? re-enter the atmosphere?

Able III? re-entered on 1 Jul 1961, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Able III??

Able III? was operated by GSFC and built by TRW (US).

Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.

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