HAIYANG 2A

HAIYANG 2A is an active satellite operated by State Oceanic Administration (SOA) (China), launched on 2011-08-15 from Taiyuan, China. After 15 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 980 km and 988 km with an inclination of 99.3°. It travels at approximately 26,502 km/h (7.36 km/s), completing one full orbit every 105 minutes — that’s roughly 13.74 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. 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 ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks HAIYANG 2A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

HAIYANG 2A orbits at an average altitude of 984 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 HAIYANG 2A’s average altitude, there are currently 280 active payloads and 926 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 99.3°, HAIYANG 2A passes over latitudes between 99.3°N and 99.3°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. China operates approximately 1,219 active satellites in total, of which 25 share a similar altitude band with HAIYANG 2A.