USA 23

USA 23 is an active satellite operated by NRO / NRL (United States), launched on 1987-05-15 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the PARCAE 9 launch. With over 39 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 369 km and 1,493 km with an inclination of 63.3°. It travels at approximately 26,598 km/h (7.39 km/s), completing one full orbit every 104 minutes — that’s roughly 13.89 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks USA 23 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

USA 23 orbits at an average altitude of 931 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 USA 23’s average altitude, there are currently 401 active payloads and 1,418 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 63.3°, USA 23 passes over latitudes between 63.3°N and 63.3°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. United States operates approximately 13,340 active satellites in total, of which 170 share a similar altitude band with USA 23.