INSAT 1A

INSAT 1A is an active satellite operated by India, launched on 1982-04-10 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. With over 44 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) at altitudes between 35,712 km and 35,833 km with an inclination of 7.1°. It travels at approximately 11,071 km/h (3.08 km/s), completing one full orbit every ~24 hours (geosynchronous) — that’s roughly 1.00 orbits per day. At geostationary altitude, there is no meaningful atmospheric drag — this object will remain in orbit indefinitely unless actively deorbited. Orbital Radar tracks INSAT 1A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

INSAT 1A occupies geostationary orbit at approximately 35,786 km above the equator, where its orbital period matches the Earth’s 24-hour rotation. From the ground, it appears to hover over a fixed point — ideal for broadcast television, weather monitoring and wideband communications. With an inclination of 7.1°, it traces a small figure-of-eight pattern relative to the equator rather than remaining perfectly stationary, which can indicate aging stationkeeping fuel or a deliberate inclined-orbit strategy. Within ±50 km of INSAT 1A’s average altitude, there are currently 707 active payloads and 57 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ASTRA 1N, GOES 16, TDRS 13. India operates approximately 108 active satellites in total, of which 36 share a similar altitude band with INSAT 1A.