ASTROSAT

ASTROSAT is an active satellite operated by Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) Centre (India), launched on 2015-09-28 from SRI. After 11 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 616 km and 627 km with an inclination of 6.0°. It travels at approximately 27,180 km/h (7.55 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.83 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 ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks ASTROSAT in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

ASTROSAT orbits at an average altitude of 622 km in the mid-LEO band, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains manageable. Objects at this altitude persist for decades to centuries, making debris mitigation critical. This regime is popular for remote sensing constellations and scientific instruments that need stable, long-duration orbits. Within ±50 km of ASTROSAT’s average altitude, there are currently 1,528 active payloads and 784 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050, STARLINK-3090, STARLINK-3077. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 8.8% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 6.0°, ASTROSAT passes over latitudes between 6.0°N and 6.0°S, concentrating coverage over equatorial and near-equatorial regions. Low-inclination orbits maximise revisit rates over specific tropical zones. India operates approximately 108 active satellites in total, of which 13 share a similar altitude band with ASTROSAT.