SL-8 DEB *

SL-8 DEB * is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to Russia (CIS), launched on 1978-02-17 from PKMTR on the Strela-2M launch. With over 48 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 625 km and 640 km with an inclination of 74.0°. It travels at approximately 27,159 km/h (7.54 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.79 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 633 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 779 active payloads and 862 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050. 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 10 share a similar altitude band with SL-8 DEB *.