JASON DEB

JASON DEB is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to United States, launched on 2001-12-07 from Vandenberg SFB, California on the Jason launch. With over 25 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 1,005 km and 1,085 km with an inclination of 66.1°. It travels at approximately 26,393 km/h (7.33 km/s), completing one full orbit every 106 minutes — that’s roughly 13.58 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. As orbital debris, JASON DEB poses a potential collision risk to operational satellites in nearby orbits and is continuously monitored by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and other tracking systems.

JASON DEB orbits at an average altitude of 1,045 km in the upper LEO band, where atmospheric drag is negligible and objects can persist for centuries to millennia. This altitude is used by broadband constellations like OneWeb and by scientific missions requiring stable orbits far from the densest debris bands. Within ±50 km of JASON DEB’s average altitude, there are currently 184 active payloads and 499 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 66.1°, JASON DEB passes over latitudes between 66.1°N and 66.1°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 12,358 active satellites in total, of which 18 share a similar altitude band with JASON DEB.