USA 119

USA 119 is an active satellite operated by National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) (United States), launched on 1996-05-12 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the SLDCOM 4/INTRUDER 4 launch. With over 30 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 444 km and 1,725 km with an inclination of 63.3°. It travels at approximately 26,323 km/h (7.31 km/s), completing one full orbit every 107 minutes — that’s roughly 13.47 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks USA 119 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

USA 119 orbits at an average altitude of 1,085 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 119’s average altitude, there are currently 327 active payloads and 551 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 63.3°, USA 119 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 13,342 active satellites in total, of which 44 share a similar altitude band with USA 119.