PICOSAT 3

PICOSAT 3 is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 2000-01-27 from Vandenberg SFB, California. With over 26 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 677 km and 710 km with an inclination of 100.2°. It travels at approximately 27,041 km/h (7.51 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.60 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks PICOSAT 3 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

PICOSAT 3 orbits at an average altitude of 694 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 PICOSAT 3’s average altitude, there are currently 281 active payloads and 1,369 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 100.2°, PICOSAT 3 passes over latitudes between 100.2°N and 100.2°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 12,339 active satellites in total, of which 60 share a similar altitude band with PICOSAT 3.