ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB)

ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB) is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 1995-04-03 from Vandenberg SFB, California. With over 31 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 661 km and 677 km with an inclination of 70.0°. It travels at approximately 27,089 km/h (7.52 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.67 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB) in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB) orbits at an average altitude of 669 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 ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB)’s average altitude, there are currently 598 active payloads and 1,198 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 70.0°, ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB) passes over latitudes between 70.0°N and 70.0°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 12,339 active satellites in total, of which 274 share a similar altitude band with ORBVIEW 1 (MICROLAB).