TRAILBLAZER 2

TRAILBLAZER 2 is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 2002-12-20 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. With over 24 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 591 km and 659 km with an inclination of 64.6°. It travels at approximately 27,174 km/h (7.55 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.81 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks TRAILBLAZER 2 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

TRAILBLAZER 2 orbits at an average altitude of 625 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 TRAILBLAZER 2’s average altitude, there are currently 815 active payloads and 804 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050, STARLINK-3088. With an inclination of 64.6°, TRAILBLAZER 2 passes over latitudes between 64.6°N and 64.6°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 12,360 active satellites in total, of which 350 share a similar altitude band with TRAILBLAZER 2.