🛰️ SATELLITE · HISTORICAL RECORD
USA 118
Historical recordUSA 118 (NORAD 23855, COSPAR 1996-026A) is a historical US catalogue entry no longer tracked in the live catalogue, launched on 24 Apr 1996 on the MERCURY 2 mission. It is catalogued as MERCURY 15. It was operated by NRO / USAF SMC as part of the MERCURY programme. The spacecraft was built by HSES on the Adv Vortex bus, with a mass of 4,500 kg. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.
1996
launched
30
years on orbit
4,500
kg mass
Lifecycle
Launched24 Apr 1996 · on the MERCURY 2 mission
Specifications
NORAD ID23855
COSPAR1996-026A
TypeSatellite
OperatorNRO / USAF SMC
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerHSES
BusAdv Vortex
Mass4,500 kg
ProgrammeMERCURY
CategorySIG
OrbitGEO (GEO/S)
Altitude35,780 × 35,800 km
Inclination0.1°
Frequently asked questions
What happened to USA 118?
USA 118 is a historical catalogue entry from a 1996 launch. It is not currently tracked in the live catalogue — typically meaning it has decayed, been retired, or its tracking elements have lapsed.
Who operated and built USA 118?
USA 118 was operated by NRO / USAF SMC and built by HSES (US).
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-10-11.