SCISAT 1

SCISAT 1 is an active satellite operated by Canadian Space Agency (Canada), launched on 2003-08-13 from WRAS. With over 23 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 619 km and 631 km with an inclination of 73.9°. 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. 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 ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks SCISAT 1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SCISAT 1 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 SCISAT 1’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 73.9°, SCISAT 1 passes over latitudes between 73.9°N and 73.9°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. Canada operates approximately 67 active satellites in total, of which 17 share a similar altitude band with SCISAT 1.