SPRINT A

SPRINT A is an active satellite operated by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) (Japan), launched on 2013-09-14 from Uchinoura, Japan. After 13 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 950 km and 1,154 km with an inclination of 29.7°. It travels at approximately 26,380 km/h (7.33 km/s), completing one full orbit every 106 minutes — that’s roughly 13.56 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks SPRINT A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SPRINT A orbits at an average altitude of 1,052 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 SPRINT A’s average altitude, there are currently 180 active payloads and 466 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 29.7°, SPRINT A passes over latitudes between 29.7°N and 29.7°S, covering the tropical and temperate zones where most of the world’s population resides. Low-to-mid inclination orbits are efficient to reach from equatorial and mid-latitude launch sites. Japan operates approximately 189 active satellites in total, of which 3 share a similar altitude band with SPRINT A.