CUBESAT XI 5

CUBESAT XI 5 is an active satellite operated by Japan, launched on 2005-10-27 from PKMTR. With over 21 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 643 km and 662 km with an inclination of 98.3°. It travels at approximately 27,120 km/h (7.53 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.73 orbits per day. Its near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit means it passes over any given point on Earth at approximately the same local solar time, ideal for consistent Earth observation lighting conditions. It is part of the Cubesat constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks CUBESAT XI 5 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

CUBESAT XI 5 orbits at an average altitude of 653 km in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a specialised subset of LEO where the orbital plane precesses to maintain a constant angle relative to the Sun. This provides consistent lighting conditions on every pass — essential for Earth observation, weather monitoring and environmental science. Within ±50 km of CUBESAT XI 5’s average altitude, there are currently 696 active payloads and 1,060 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 98.3°, CUBESAT XI 5 passes over latitudes between 98.3°N and 98.3°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. Japan operates approximately 189 active satellites in total, of which 21 share a similar altitude band with CUBESAT XI 5.