PICOSAT 9

PICOSAT 9 is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 2001-09-30 from Kodiak, Alaska on the Starshine 3 launch. With over 25 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 779 km and 794 km with an inclination of 67.0°. It travels at approximately 26,865 km/h (7.46 km/s), completing one full orbit every 101 minutes — that’s roughly 14.32 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks PICOSAT 9 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

PICOSAT 9 orbits at an average altitude of 787 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 9’s average altitude, there are currently 398 active payloads and 2,245 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include NOAA 20, ONEWEB-0179, ONEWEB-0455. With an inclination of 67.0°, PICOSAT 9 passes over latitudes between 67.0°N and 67.0°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 12,671 active satellites in total, of which 154 share a similar altitude band with PICOSAT 9.