YAOGAN 17A

YAOGAN 17A is an active satellite operated by Chinese Ministry of National Defense (China), launched on 2013-09-01 from Jiuquan, China. After 13 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 770 km and 1,407 km with an inclination of 63.4°. It travels at approximately 26,316 km/h (7.31 km/s), completing one full orbit every 107 minutes — that’s roughly 13.46 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks YAOGAN 17A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

YAOGAN 17A orbits at an average altitude of 1,089 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 YAOGAN 17A’s average altitude, there are currently 181 active payloads and 392 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 63.4°, YAOGAN 17A passes over latitudes between 63.4°N and 63.4°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. China operates approximately 1,219 active satellites in total, of which 159 share a similar altitude band with YAOGAN 17A.