TIROS 5

TIROS 5 is an active satellite operated by GSFC (United States), launched on 1962-06-19 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, United States. After more than 64 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 557 km and 824 km with an inclination of 58.1°. It travels at approximately 27,047 km/h (7.51 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.61 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks TIROS 5 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

TIROS 5 orbits at an average altitude of 691 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 TIROS 5’s average altitude, there are currently 311 active payloads and 1,463 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, ONEWEB-0179. With an inclination of 58.1°, TIROS 5 passes over latitudes between 58.1°N and 58.1°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 79 share a similar altitude band with TIROS 5.