SWARM B

SWARM B is an active satellite operated by European Space Agency (ESA) (ESA (European Space Agency)), launched on 2013-11-22 from PKMTR. After 13 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 478 km and 482 km with an inclination of 87.7°. It travels at approximately 27,460 km/h (7.63 km/s), completing one full orbit every 94 minutes — that’s roughly 15.29 orbits per day. 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 ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks SWARM B in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SWARM B orbits at an average altitude of 480 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of SWARM B’s average altitude, there are currently 8,013 active payloads and 214 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1017, STARLINK-1039, STARLINK-1047. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 46% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 87.7°, SWARM B passes over latitudes between 87.7°N and 87.7°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. ESA (European Space Agency) operates approximately 93 active satellites in total, of which 3 share a similar altitude band with SWARM B.