QPS-SAR-13

QPS-SAR-13 is an active satellite operated by Japan, launched on 2026-08-06 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, New Zealand on the QPS-SAR-13 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 569 km and 581 km with an inclination of 42.0°. It travels at approximately 27,271 km/h (7.58 km/s), completing one full orbit every 96 minutes — that’s roughly 14.97 orbits per day. Its near-circular orbit (eccentricity close to zero) means it maintains a very consistent altitude throughout each revolution. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~3–10 years. Orbital Radar tracks QPS-SAR-13 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

QPS-SAR-13 orbits at an average altitude of 575 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of QPS-SAR-13’s average altitude, there are currently 1,441 active payloads and 562 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050, STARLINK-3005, STARLINK-3090. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 7.7% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 42.0°, QPS-SAR-13 passes over latitudes between 42.0°N and 42.0°S, covering the tropical and temperate zones where most of the world’s population resides. Low-to-mid inclination orbits are efficient to reach from equatorial and mid-latitude launch sites. Japan operates approximately 209 active satellites in total, of which 55 share a similar altitude band with QPS-SAR-13.