OBJECT K

OBJECT K (NORAD ID 100711) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2026-09-15 from Yellow Sea launch area (Haiyang), China on the Qianfan Digui 26 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 786 km and 798 km with an inclination of 89.0°. It travels at approximately 26,855 km/h (7.46 km/s), completing one full orbit every 101 minutes — that’s roughly 14.30 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 ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT K in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT K orbits at an average altitude of 792 km in the mid-LEO band, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains manageable. Objects at this altitude persist for decades to centuries, making debris mitigation critical. This regime is popular for remote sensing constellations and scientific instruments that need stable, long-duration orbits. Within ±50 km of OBJECT K’s average altitude, there are currently 451 active payloads and 2,436 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include NOAA 20, ONEWEB-0455. With an inclination of 89.0°, OBJECT K passes over latitudes between 89.0°N and 89.0°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. China operates approximately 1,288 active satellites in total, of which 76 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT K.