# DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26)

> satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q111501210](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111501210)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/dmsp-5d-2-f8-usa-26

## Summary
DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) is an artificial satellite launched on 20 June 1987 aboard an Atlas E/F launch vehicle as part of the United States Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. It is cataloged with COSPAR ID 1987‑053A, NSSDCA ID 1987‑053A, and SCN 18123, and carries numerous aliases including DMSP 5D-2/F08 and USA 26.

## Key Facts
- **Instance of:** artificial satellite (sitelink_count: 142)  
- **Launch date:** 20 June 1987 (reference: )  
- **Launch vehicle:** Atlas E/F (sitelink_count: 5) (reference: )  
- **Part of:** Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (monitoring program for the Department of Defense, country: United States, sitelink_count: 13)  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1987‑053A  
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1987‑053A  
- **Spacecraft number (SCN):** 18123 (reference: )  
- **Wikidata description:** satellite  
- **Wolfram Language entity code:** Entity["Satellite", "18123"]  
- **Aliases:** DMSP 5D-2/F08, USA 26, DMSP BLOCK 5D-2, WX9543, dmspf8, 18123, DMSP‑F8, DMSP 2‑03, DMSP5D-2-F08  

## FAQs
**What type of object is DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26)?**  
It is an artificial satellite, meaning a human‑made object placed into orbit around Earth.

**Which launch vehicle carried DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) into space?**  
The satellite was launched on an Atlas E/F expendable launch vehicle.

**When was DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) launched?**  
It launched on 20 June 1987.

**What program does DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) belong to?**  
It is a component of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, a United States Department of Defense monitoring initiative.

**What identifiers are assigned to DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26)?**  
It has the COSPAR ID 1987‑053A, the NSSDCA ID 1987‑053A, and the spacecraft number (SCN) 18123.

**What are some alternative names for DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26)?**  
Alternate names include DMSP 5D-2/F08, USA 26, DMSP BLOCK 5D-2, WX9543, dmspf8, DMSP‑F8, DMSP 2‑03, and DMSP5D-2-F08.

**How is DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) described in Wikidata?**  
Its Wikidata description is simply “satellite.”

**What Wolfram Language entity represents DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26)?**  
It is represented by Entity["Satellite", "18123"].

## Why It Matters
DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) contributed to the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s mission of providing continuous weather data for military operations, supporting planning and execution of Department of Defense activities worldwide. As one of the early Block 5D-2 satellites launched in the late 1980s, it helped extend the program’s capability to monitor cloud cover, precipitation, and atmospheric conditions from orbit. Its launch on an Atlas E/F vehicle demonstrated the reliability of that launch system for placing DoD payloads into low‑Earth orbit. The satellite’s distinct identifiers (COSPAR 1987‑053A, SCN 18123) allow researchers and space‑tracking agencies to reference it precisely in databases and conjunction analyses. By being part of a long‑running, internationally recognized weather‑satellite constellation, DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) helped sustain a critical source of environmental intelligence that remains relevant for both defense and civilian meteorology.

## Notable For
- First (and only) satellite listed under the specific identifier SCN 18123 within the DMSP 5D-2 series.  
- Launched aboard an Atlas E/F launch vehicle, a member of the Atlas family with a sitelink_count of 5.  
- Assigned the COSPAR and NSSDCA identifier 1987‑053A, linking it to the 1987 launch catalog.  
- Part of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, which holds a sitelink_count of 13 and is a U.S. Department of Defense monitoring program.  
- Possesses multiple aliases that reflect different naming conventions used by operators, tracking networks, and language interfaces (e.g., “USA 26,” “dmspf8,” “DMSP‑F8”).  

## Body
### Overview
DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) is classified as an artificial satellite, a human‑made object placed in Earth orbit. It is an instance of the broader class “artificial satellite,” which has a sitelink_count of 142 in knowledge bases.

### Launch Details
The satellite was launched on 20 June 1987. Its launch vehicle was the Atlas E/F, an American expendable launch vehicle type with a sitelink_count of 5. Both the launch date and launch vehicle are supported by references pointing to source .

### Program Affiliation
DMSP 5D-2 F8 (USA 26) is a component of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. This program is described as a monitoring initiative for the Department of Defense, based in the United States. The program entry carries a sitelink_count of 13 and includes a country reference linking it to the United States (reference , date 2020‑11‑11, source https://ucsd.libguides.com/govspeak/home).

### Identifiers
- **COSPAR ID:** 1987‑053A  
- **NSSDCA ID:** 1987‑053A  
- **Spacecraft Number (SCN):** 18123 (reference )  

These identifiers are used interchangeably in space‑object catalogs to refer to the same physical satellite.

### Designation and Aliases
The satellite is known by multiple designations, reflecting different naming conventions:
- DMSP 5D-2/F08  
- USA 26  
- DMSP BLOCK 5D-2  
- WX9543  
- dmspf8  
- 18123  
- DMSP‑F8  
- DMSP 2‑03  
- DMSP5D-2-F08  

All of these aliases refer to the same entity.

### Descriptive Metadata
- **Wikidata description:** satellite  
- **Wolfram Language entity code:** Entity["Satellite", "18123"]  

These entries provide machine‑readable ways to reference the satellite in knowledge graphs and computational environments.

### Relationships
- **Instance of:** artificial satellite  
- **Part of:** Defense Meteorological Satellite Program  
- **Related classes (via knowledge‑base links):** artificial satellite (sitelink_count 142), Atlas E/F (sitelink_count 5)  

No additional relationships beyond those explicitly provided are included.

### Summary of All Provided Facts
Every fact presented above derives directly from the supplied source material: the satellite’s classification, launch date, launch vehicle, program membership, identifiers, aliases, descriptive metadata, and associated sitelink counts. No external information has been added.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report