OBJECT A

OBJECT A (NORAD ID 100791) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2026-09-23 from Wenchang Space Launch Site, China on the WHDW 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 1,094 km and 1,106 km with an inclination of 50.0°. It travels at approximately 26,296 km/h (7.30 km/s), completing one full orbit every 107 minutes — that’s roughly 13.42 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 ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT A orbits at an average altitude of 1,100 km in the upper LEO band, where atmospheric drag is negligible and objects can persist for centuries to millennia. This altitude is used by broadband constellations like OneWeb and by scientific missions requiring stable orbits far from the densest debris bands. Within ±50 km of OBJECT A’s average altitude, there are currently 421 active payloads and 506 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 50.0°, OBJECT A passes over latitudes between 50.0°N and 50.0°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. China operates approximately 1,291 active satellites in total, of which 370 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT A.