COSMOS 2502

COSMOS 2502 is an active satellite operated by Ministry of Defense (Russia (CIS)), launched on 2014-12-25 from PKMTR. After 12 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 895 km and 907 km with an inclination of 67.2°. It travels at approximately 26,653 km/h (7.40 km/s), completing one full orbit every 103 minutes — that’s roughly 13.98 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 ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 2502 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

COSMOS 2502 orbits at an average altitude of 901 km in the upper LEO band, where atmospheric drag is negligible and objects can persist for centuries to millennia. This altitude is used by broadband constellations like OneWeb and by scientific missions requiring stable orbits far from the densest debris bands. Within ±50 km of COSMOS 2502’s average altitude, there are currently 217 active payloads and 1,353 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 67.2°, COSMOS 2502 passes over latitudes between 67.2°N and 67.2°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,285 active satellites in total, of which 57 share a similar altitude band with COSMOS 2502.