O3B FM3

O3B FM3 is an active satellite operated by O3b Networks Ltd. (O3b Networks), launched on 2014-07-10 from Guiana Space Centre, Kourou. After 12 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) at altitudes between 8,063 km and 8,069 km with an inclination of 0.1°. It travels at approximately 18,916 km/h (5.25 km/s), completing one full orbit every 4 hours 48 minutes — that’s roughly 5.00 orbits per day. It is part of the Ses constellation group. Orbital Radar tracks O3B FM3 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

O3B FM3 orbits at an average altitude of 8,066 km in Medium Earth Orbit, the region between LEO and GEO (2,000–35,786 km). MEO’s higher altitude gives each satellite a much larger ground footprint than LEO, meaning fewer spacecraft are needed for global coverage — but signal latency is higher and radiation from the Van Allen belts is a significant design constraint. Within ±50 km of O3B FM3’s average altitude, there are currently 31 active payloads and 5 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. This is a relatively sparse altitude band, containing less than 1% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 0.1°, O3B FM3 passes over latitudes between 0.1°N and 0.1°S, concentrating coverage over equatorial and near-equatorial regions. Low-inclination orbits maximise revisit rates over specific tropical zones. O3b Networks operates approximately 20 active satellites in total, of which 20 share a similar altitude band with O3B FM3.