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TIPS Norton/TIPS Tether

Re-entered 1 Jul 2006

TIPS Norton/TIPS Tether (NORAD 23937, COSPAR 1996-029F) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jul 2006, 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 16 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
2006
re-entered
10
years on orbit
16
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 Jul 2006 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID23937
COSPAR1996-029F
TypeSatellite
OperatorNROC / NRL
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerNRL
BusTIPS
Mass16 kg
ProgrammeTIPS
CategoryTECH
OrbitLEO (LEO/I)
Altitude1,020 × 1,024 km
Inclination63.4°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to TIPS Norton/TIPS Tether?

TIPS Norton/TIPS Tether re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jul 2006, 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 Norton/TIPS Tether re-enter the atmosphere?

TIPS Norton/TIPS Tether re-entered on 1 Jul 2006, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built TIPS Norton/TIPS Tether?

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

Launched together

SLDCOM 4NORAD 23893Improved PARCAE 4 SSU-2NORAD 23907Improved PARCAE 4 SSU-3NORAD 23908Improved PARCAE 4 SSU-1NORAD 23862TIPS RalphRe-entered 2026
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.