U.S. Strategic Command confirms rocket body reentry

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. - U.S. Strategic Command confirmed Dec. 22, 2015, the reentry of a Russian rocket body and released the following statement in response to several media queries.

“U.S. Strategic Command’s Joint Functional Component Command for Space (JFCC Space), through the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC), removed a Russian SL-4 rocket body from the U.S. satellite catalog as a decayed object after it reentered the atmosphere today over North America (vicinity Arizona) at approximately 1908 MST. In addition to this object, the JSpOC tracks 16,000 other on-orbit cataloged objects, which are listed in USSTRATCOM’s Satellite Catalog and the publicly-available website www.Space-Track.org. That service is a key element of our commitment to provide space situational awareness for spaceflight safety. The effects of the atmosphere on reentering objects preclude the JSpOC from accurately tracking any reentries after initial contact with the atmosphere occurs. Additional questions about the rocket body should be directed to Russian authorities, particularly Roscosmos (Russian Federal Space Agency).”

One of nine DoD unified combatant commands, USSTRATCOM has global strategic missions, assigned through the Unified Command Plan, which include strategic deterrence; space operations; cyberspace operations; joint electronic warfare; global strike; missile defense; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; combating weapons of mass destruction; and analysis and targeting.

For more information, contact USSTRATCOM Public Affairs, (402) 294-4130, or via email: pa@stratcom.mil.