Tacsat 4 [USAF]
Official name TACSAT 4
Alternative name TacSat-4
Cospar ID 2011-052A
Norad ID 37818
Launch date 2011-09-27
Launch site KODAK
Launch vehicle Minotaur-4+
Country/Organization USA
Type application Technology, communication
Operator Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
RCS size LARGE
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 237.02
Inclination (deg) 62.83
Perigee (km) 367
Apogee (km) 12250
Eccentricity 0.941824522469684
Mean motion (revs. per day) 6.0754366720108
Semi-Major axis (km) 12686.635
Raan (deg) 283.8922
Arg of perigee (deg) 259.3681
Shape Box + Cone + 2 Pan + 1 Dish
Mass (kg) 460
Height (m) 3
Width (m) 1
Depth (m) 1
Span (m^2) 10
Contractors Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL);
Configuration JSW bus
Power 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries

The U.S. Air Force in October selected the payload for the TacSat 4 satellite in November 2005: a package that provides mobile communications services, data relay from terrestrial sensors and friendly forces tracking, according to a Defense Department official.

The all-telecom payload for the TacSat 4 mission beat out candidates that included a radar-imaging sensor that has been pushed by the U.S. Army.

TacSat 4, tentatively scheduled for launch in late 2007, also features the prototype standardized satellite platform that the Air Force will be able to buy in bulk and adapt to a variety of future missions.

The TacSat effort is a series of missions intended to demonstrate that small, low-cost satellites can be deployed quickly to meet a pressing need of commanders in a theater of operations. It is a key component of a wider initiative championed by the Office of Force Transformation known as Operationally Responsive Space.

An enhanced Minotaur-4+ rocket launched Tacsat-4 in September 2011.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
TACSAT 4 2011-052A 2011-09-27 KODAK Minotaur-4+