RASSVET-3 26

RASSVET-3 26 is an active satellite operated by Byuro 1440 (Russia (CIS)), launched on 2026-07-19 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia on the Rassvet-3 G2 launch. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 358 km and 368 km with an inclination of 82.3°. It travels at approximately 27,697 km/h (7.69 km/s), completing one full orbit every 92 minutes — that’s roughly 15.69 orbits per day. Its near-circular orbit (eccentricity close to zero) means it maintains a very consistent altitude throughout each revolution. It is one of the satellites of the Rassvet constellation, the satellite internet network being built by Bureau 1440, whose tracker shows which Rassvet satellites have reached their working orbit. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is months to ~1 year. Orbital Radar tracks RASSVET-3 26 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

RASSVET-3 26 orbits at an average altitude of 363 km in the lower reaches of Low Earth Orbit, where atmospheric drag is significant and orbital lifetimes are measured in months to a few years. This is the busiest corridor in space — home to crewed spacecraft, rapid-revisit imaging satellites and the densest part of the Starlink constellation. Within ±50 km of RASSVET-3 26’s average altitude, there are currently 1,100 active payloads and 43 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1008, STARLINK-1012, STARLINK-1020. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 5.8% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 82.3°, RASSVET-3 26 passes over latitudes between 82.3°N and 82.3°S, providing near-global coverage including the polar regions. Polar and near-polar orbits are used for reconnaissance, weather monitoring and Earth-observation missions that need to image every part of the planet. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,551 active satellites in total, of which 20 share a similar altitude band with RASSVET-3 26.