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POPPY 3 Bravo

Retired 1966

POPPY 3 Bravo (NORAD 730, COSPAR 1964-001D) is a retired US satellite, withdrawn from service around 1 Jul 1966, launched on 11 Jan 1964 on the POPPY 3/HAYLOFT mission. It was operated by NRO / NRL as part of the POPPY programme. The spacecraft was built by NRL on the NRL 24" bus, with a mass of 40 kg. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

1964
launched
1966
retired
62
years on orbit
40
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched11 Jan 1964 · on the POPPY 3/HAYLOFT mission
Operational1 Jul 1966 · entered service
Retired1 Jul 1966 · end of operational service
StatusOn orbit (not live-tracked)

Specifications

NORAD ID730
COSPAR1964-001D
TypeSatellite
OperatorNRO / NRL
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerNRL
BusNRL 24"
Mass40 kg
ProgrammePOPPY
CategorySIG/AST
OrbitLEO (LEO/I)
Altitude909 × 934 km
Inclination69.9°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to POPPY 3 Bravo?

POPPY 3 Bravo was retired from service around 1 Jul 1966 after launching in 1964. It is no longer operational but remains catalogued.

Who operated and built POPPY 3 Bravo?

POPPY 3 Bravo was operated by NRO / NRL and built by NRL (US).

Launched together

AFTRACK 37/Mission 7210NORAD 727POPPY 3 CharlieNORAD 728Secor II S/N 2 (TR-27)NORAD 729POPPY 3 AlfaNORAD 731
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.