HAWK 16A

HAWK 16A is an active satellite operated by HawkEye 360 (United States), launched on 2026-10-23 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, New Zealand on the Hawk 16A/B/C 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 511 km and 530 km with an inclination of 97.5°. It travels at approximately 27,379 km/h (7.61 km/s), completing one full orbit every 95 minutes — that’s roughly 15.15 orbits per day. Its near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit means it passes over any given point on Earth at approximately the same local solar time, ideal for consistent Earth observation lighting conditions. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~3–10 years. Orbital Radar tracks HAWK 16A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

HAWK 16A orbits at an average altitude of 521 km in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a specialised subset of LEO where the orbital plane precesses to maintain a constant angle relative to the Sun. This provides consistent lighting conditions on every pass — essential for Earth observation, weather monitoring and environmental science. Within ±50 km of HAWK 16A’s average altitude, there are currently 5,300 active payloads and 297 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1184, STARLINK-1276, STARLINK-1451. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 28% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 97.5°, HAWK 16A passes over latitudes between 97.5°N and 97.5°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. United States operates approximately 13,286 active satellites in total, of which 4,563 share a similar altitude band with HAWK 16A.