PAYLOAD A DEB
NORAD 39357
Debris
LEO
2013-037J
CONNECTING…
LEO · NORAD 39357
NOW PASSING OVER
Calculating position…
—
Altitude (km)
—
Speed (km/s)
—
Latitude
—
Longitude
Real-time tracking powered by Orbital Radar
🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
646 km
Apogee
659 km
Inclination
98.1°
Period
97.8 min
Mean Motion
14.72722626 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-06-20 00:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude653 km
Orbital Velocity27,120 km/h
Velocity7.53 km/s
Orbital Period98 minutes
Orbits / Day14.73
Eccentricity0.0009
Semi-Major Axis7,024 km
Orbit ClassSun-Synchronous (SSO)
Est. Orbital Lifetime~10–25 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇨🇳 China
Launch Date
2013-07-19
Launch Site
Taiyuan, China
Int'l Designator
2013-037J
Object Type
Debris
RCS Size
Medium (0.1–1 m²)
📖 About This Object
PAYLOAD A DEB is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to China, launched on 2013-07-19 from Taiyuan, China on the SJ-15/CX-3/SY-7 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 646 km and 659 km with an inclination of 98.1°. It travels at approximately 27,120 km/h (7.53 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.73 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 ~10–25 years. As orbital debris, PAYLOAD A 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.
🌍 Orbit Context
PAYLOAD A DEB orbits at an average altitude of 653 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 PAYLOAD A DEB’s average altitude, there are currently 697 active payloads and 1,051 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 98.1°, PAYLOAD A DEB passes over latitudes between 98.1°N and 98.1°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 1,218 active satellites in total, of which 159 share a similar altitude band with PAYLOAD A DEB.
🔗 Tracked Space Debris
This is a tracked piece of orbital debris — a fragment from a collision, explosion, or separation event that no longer serves any useful purpose. Space surveillance networks catalogue objects larger than approximately 10 cm in LEO. Even small debris can be catastrophic at orbital velocities (7–8 km/s in LEO), carrying kinetic energy comparable to a hand grenade per centimetre-sized fragment. The growing debris population is one of the most pressing challenges for long-term space sustainability.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
PAYLOAD A DEB is in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a specialised form of LEO at approximately 653 km altitude. Its 98.1° inclination causes the orbital plane to precess at exactly the rate of the Earth’s revolution around the Sun, so the satellite crosses each latitude at a consistent local solar time. It completes one orbit every 98 minutes, travelling at 27,120 km/h.
PAYLOAD A DEB (NORAD ID 39357) is a piece of tracked orbital debris attributed to China. It was likely created by a fragmentation event, collision, or mission-related separation. Even small debris objects at orbital velocities carry enormous kinetic energy, so they are tracked by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network to enable collision avoidance for operational satellites.
PAYLOAD A DEB was launched on 2013-07-19 from Taiyuan, China. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~10–25 years. View the full satellite launch log.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks PAYLOAD A DEB (NORAD ID 39357) using the latest TLE (two-line element set) data from Space-Track and CelesTrak. Open the live tracker to see its current position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated in real time. You can also browse the satellite directory to find other tracked objects.
PAYLOAD A DEB travels at approximately 27,120 km/h (16,852 mph) — roughly 7.53 km/s. It completes 14.73 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 29 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.
All tracked debris poses a potential collision risk to operational satellites. At orbital velocities, even a small object carries enormous kinetic energy — a 1 cm fragment at 7.53 km/s has the energy equivalent of a hand grenade. Space agencies perform routine conjunction assessments and may manoeuvre operational satellites to avoid tracked objects like PAYLOAD A DEB. Read more about debris statistics and the Kessler syndrome.