POPACS 3

POPACS 3 is an active satellite operated by POPACS (United States), launched on 2013-09-29 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the Cassiope launch. After 13 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 315 km and 1,084 km with an inclination of 81.0°. It travels at approximately 27,030 km/h (7.51 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.58 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks POPACS 3 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

POPACS 3 orbits at an average altitude of 700 km in the mid-LEO band, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains manageable. Objects at this altitude persist for decades to centuries, making debris mitigation critical. This regime is popular for remote sensing constellations and scientific instruments that need stable, long-duration orbits. Within ±50 km of POPACS 3’s average altitude, there are currently 296 active payloads and 1,589 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, ONEWEB-0179. With an inclination of 81.0°, POPACS 3 passes over latitudes between 81.0°N and 81.0°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. United States operates approximately 13,340 active satellites in total, of which 85 share a similar altitude band with POPACS 3.