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Tethered Picosat No. 23

Re-entered 11 Jul 2002

Tethered Picosat No. 23 (NORAD 26904, COSPAR 2000-042C) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 11 Jul 2002, launched on 19 Jul 2000 on the Mightysat 2.1 mission. It was operated by DARPA2 as part of the MEPSI programme. The spacecraft was built by AERO on the Picosat bus, with a mass of 0.25 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.

2000
launched
2002
re-entered
2
years on orbit
0.25
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched19 Jul 2000 · on the Mightysat 2.1 mission
Operational9 Sep 2001 · entered service
Retired9 Sep 2001 · end of operational service
Re-entered11 Jul 2002 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID26904
COSPAR2000-042C
TypeSatellite
OperatorDARPA2
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerAERO
BusPicosat
Mass0.25 kg
ProgrammeMEPSI
CategoryTECH
OrbitLEO (LLEO/S)
Altitude511 × 539 km
Inclination97.8°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Tethered Picosat No. 23?

Tethered Picosat No. 23 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 11 Jul 2002, ending a mission that began with its launch in 2000. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Tethered Picosat No. 23 re-enter the atmosphere?

Tethered Picosat No. 23 re-entered on 11 Jul 2002, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Tethered Picosat No. 23?

Tethered Picosat No. 23 was operated by DARPA2 and built by AERO (US).

Launched together

Mightysat 2.1Re-entered 2002
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.