ZK-2 R/B

ZK-2 R/B is a spent rocket body associated with China, launched on 2026-11-03 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China on the Qianfan Jigui 21 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 529 km and 791 km with an inclination of 89.0°. It travels at approximately 27,106 km/h (7.53 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.70 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Spent rocket bodies like ZK-2 R/B are among the largest pieces of uncontrolled space debris and are priority targets for collision avoidance manoeuvres and future active debris removal efforts.

ZK-2 R/B orbits at an average altitude of 660 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 ZK-2 R/B’s average altitude, there are currently 864 active payloads and 1,216 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, ONEWEB-0179. With an inclination of 89.0°, ZK-2 R/B 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 1,684 active satellites in total, of which 140 share a similar altitude band with ZK-2 R/B.