CBERS 2B

CBERS 2B is an active satellite operated by China/Brazil, launched on 2007-09-19 from Taiyuan, China. After 19 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 732 km and 775 km with an inclination of 98.4°. It travels at approximately 26,927 km/h (7.48 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.41 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. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks CBERS 2B in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

CBERS 2B orbits at an average altitude of 754 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 CBERS 2B’s average altitude, there are currently 354 active payloads and 1,990 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 98.4°, CBERS 2B passes over latitudes between 98.4°N and 98.4°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. China/Brazil operates approximately 4 active satellites in total, of which 3 share a similar altitude band with CBERS 2B.