TIPS Ralph

Re-entered 1 Jan 2026

TIPS Ralph (NORAD 23936, COSPAR 1996-029E) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jan 2026, launched on 12 May 1996 on the SLDCOM 4/INTRUDER 4 mission. It was operated by NROC / NRL as part of the TIPS programme. The spacecraft was built by NRL on the TIPS bus, with a mass of 38 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.

1996

launched

2026

re-entered

years on orbit

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched12 May 1996 · on the SLDCOM 4/INTRUDER 4 mission

Operational20 Jun 1996 · entered service

Retired20 Jun 1996 · end of operational service

Re-entered1 Jan 2026 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID23936

COSPAR1996-029E

TypeSatellite

OperatorNROC / NRL

Country / StateUS

ManufacturerNRL

BusTIPS

Mass38 kg

ProgrammeTIPS

CategoryTECH

OrbitLEO (LEO/I)

Altitude1,055 × 1,160 km

Inclination63.4°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to TIPS Ralph?

TIPS Ralph re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jan 2026, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1996. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did TIPS Ralph re-enter the atmosphere?

TIPS Ralph re-entered on 1 Jan 2026, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built TIPS Ralph?

TIPS Ralph was operated by NROC / NRL and built by NRL (US).

Launched together

SLDCOM 4NORAD 23893 Improved PARCAE 4 SSU-2NORAD 23907 Improved PARCAE 4 SSU-3NORAD 23908 Improved PARCAE 4 SSU-1NORAD 23862 TIPS Norton/TIPS TetherRe-entered 2006

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

Browse the live satellite directory → Re-entered satellites archive → Launch record: SLDCOM 4/INTRUDER 4 → What is space debris? →