OPS 5712 (P/L 160)

OPS 5712 (P/L 160) is an active satellite operated by NRL (United States), launched on 1967-05-31 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the NRL PL160 launch. After more than 59 years in orbit, it is one of the longest-surviving objects in the space catalogue. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 630 km and 634 km with an inclination of 69.9°. It travels at approximately 27,160 km/h (7.54 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.79 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 OPS 5712 (P/L 160) in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OPS 5712 (P/L 160) orbits at an average altitude of 632 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 OPS 5712 (P/L 160)’s average altitude, there are currently 1,026 active payloads and 923 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 5.4% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 69.9°, OPS 5712 (P/L 160) passes over latitudes between 69.9°N and 69.9°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 13,279 active satellites in total, of which 539 share a similar altitude band with OPS 5712 (P/L 160).