SL-8 DEB *

SL-8 DEB * is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to Russia (CIS), launched on 1976-09-29 from PKMTR on the Strela-2M launch. After more than 50 years in orbit, it is one of the longest-surviving objects in the space catalogue. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 665 km and 681 km with an inclination of 74.0°. It travels at approximately 27,081 km/h (7.52 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.66 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. As orbital debris, SL-8 DEB * poses a potential collision risk to operational satellites in nearby orbits and is continuously monitored by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and other tracking systems.

SL-8 DEB * orbits at an average altitude of 673 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 SL-8 DEB *’s average altitude, there are currently 565 active payloads and 1,211 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 74.0°, SL-8 DEB * passes over latitudes between 74.0°N and 74.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,285 active satellites in total, of which 13 share a similar altitude band with SL-8 DEB *.