SIMSAT 1

SIMSAT 1 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 2000-05-16 from PKMTR. With over 26 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 476 km and 487 km with an inclination of 86.3°. It travels at approximately 27,457 km/h (7.63 km/s), completing one full orbit every 94 minutes — that’s roughly 15.28 orbits per day. Its near-circular orbit (eccentricity close to zero) means it maintains a very consistent altitude throughout each revolution. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks SIMSAT 1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SIMSAT 1 orbits at an average altitude of 482 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of SIMSAT 1’s average altitude, there are currently 8,032 active payloads and 213 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1017, STARLINK-1039, STARLINK-1047. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 46.1% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 86.3°, SIMSAT 1 passes over latitudes between 86.3°N and 86.3°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. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,285 active satellites in total, of which 51 share a similar altitude band with SIMSAT 1.