KENT RIDGE 1

KENT RIDGE 1 is an active satellite operated by National University of Singapore (Singapore), launched on 2015-12-16 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 491 km and 502 km with an inclination of 15.0°. It travels at approximately 27,427 km/h (7.62 km/s), completing one full orbit every 95 minutes — that’s roughly 15.23 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 KENT RIDGE 1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

KENT RIDGE 1 orbits at an average altitude of 497 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 KENT RIDGE 1’s average altitude, there are currently 9,157 active payloads and 239 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 52.6% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 15.0°, KENT RIDGE 1 passes over latitudes between 15.0°N and 15.0°S, concentrating coverage over equatorial and near-equatorial regions. Low-inclination orbits maximise revisit rates over specific tropical zones. Singapore operates approximately 14 active satellites in total, of which 5 share a similar altitude band with KENT RIDGE 1.