TDS 1

TDS 1 is an active satellite operated by United Kingdom, launched on 2014-07-08 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. After 12 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 523 km and 529 km with an inclination of 98.4°. It travels at approximately 27,368 km/h (7.60 km/s), completing one full orbit every 95 minutes — that’s roughly 15.13 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 ~3–10 years. Orbital Radar tracks TDS 1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

TDS 1 orbits at an average altitude of 526 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 TDS 1’s average altitude, there are currently 6,799 active payloads and 288 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1039, STARLINK-1184, STARLINK-1231. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 39% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 98.4°, TDS 1 passes over latitudes between 98.4°N and 98.4°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 Kingdom operates approximately 720 active satellites in total, of which 21 share a similar altitude band with TDS 1.