USA 609

In orbit

USA 609 (NORAD 69442, COSPAR 2026-126Y) is a US satellite in orbit, launched on 7 Jun 2026 on the Starlink Group 17-43 mission. It is catalogued as Starshield B5-02. It is operated by NRO as part of the NRO Star B programme. The spacecraft was built by SPXS on the Starshield bus, with a mass of 800 kg. No current orbital elements are published for it, so it is not shown on the live map or in pass predictions. Catalogue record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

2026

launched

years on orbit

800

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched7 Jun 2026 · on the Starlink Group 17-43 mission

StatusOn orbit (not live-tracked)

Specifications

NORAD ID69442

COSPAR2026-126Y

TypeSatellite

OperatorNRO

Country / StateUS

ManufacturerSPXS

BusStarshield

Mass800 kg (750 kg dry)

ProgrammeNRO Star B

CategoryIMG

OrbitLEO (LLEO/S)

Altitude311 × 325 km

Inclination97.3°

Frequently asked questions

What is USA 609?

USA 609 is a satellite launched in 2026 that is still in orbit. No current orbital elements are published for it, so it is not shown on the live map or in pass predictions.

Who operates and built USA 609?

USA 609 is operated by NRO and built by SPXS (US).

Launched together

Starlink Group 17-43-01NORAD 69420 Starlink Group 17-43-02NORAD 69421 Starlink Group 17-43-03NORAD 69422 Starlink Group 17-43-04NORAD 69423 Starlink Group 17-43-05NORAD 69424 Starlink Group 17-43-06NORAD 69425 Starlink Group 17-43-07NORAD 69426 Starlink Group 17-43-08NORAD 69427

Catalogue record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-10-21.

Browse the live satellite directory → The Orbital Register → Launch record: Starlink Group 17-43 → What is space debris? →