IRIDIUM 16

IRIDIUM 16 is an active satellite operated by Iridium Communications (United States), launched on 1997-06-18 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. With over 29 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 761 km and 763 km with an inclination of 86.4°. It travels at approximately 26,911 km/h (7.48 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.39 orbits per day. Its near-circular orbit (eccentricity close to zero) means it maintains a very consistent altitude throughout each revolution. It is part of the Iridium constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks IRIDIUM 16 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

IRIDIUM 16 orbits at an average altitude of 762 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 IRIDIUM 16’s average altitude, there are currently 367 active payloads and 2,053 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0179. With an inclination of 86.4°, IRIDIUM 16 passes over latitudes between 86.4°N and 86.4°S, providing near-global coverage including the polar regions. Polar and near-polar orbits are used for reconnaissance, weather monitoring and Earth-observation missions that need to image every part of the planet. United States operates approximately 12,360 active satellites in total, of which 150 share a similar altitude band with IRIDIUM 16.