ORBCOMM FM 3

ORBCOMM FM 3 is an active satellite operated by ORBCOMM (ORBCOMM), launched on 1998-02-10 from Vandenberg SFB, California. With over 28 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 741 km and 806 km with an inclination of 108.0°. It travels at approximately 26,890 km/h (7.47 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.36 orbits per day. It is part of the Orbcomm constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks ORBCOMM FM 3 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

ORBCOMM FM 3 orbits at an average altitude of 774 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 ORBCOMM FM 3’s average altitude, there are currently 400 active payloads and 2,119 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0179, ONEWEB-0455. With an inclination of 108.0°, ORBCOMM FM 3 passes over latitudes between 108.0°N and 108.0°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. ORBCOMM operates approximately 58 active satellites in total, of which 34 share a similar altitude band with ORBCOMM FM 3.