SKYSAT C3

SKYSAT C3 is an active satellite operated by Planet Labs, Inc. (United States), launched on 2016-09-16 from Guiana Space Centre, Kourou. After 10 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 408 km and 410 km with an inclination of 96.9°. It travels at approximately 27,603 km/h (7.67 km/s), completing one full orbit every 93 minutes — that’s roughly 15.53 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. It is part of the Planet constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks SKYSAT C3 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SKYSAT C3 orbits at an average altitude of 409 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 SKYSAT C3’s average altitude, there are currently 1,093 active payloads and 104 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1008, STARLINK-1012, STARLINK-1020. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 6.3% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 96.9°, SKYSAT C3 passes over latitudes between 96.9°N and 96.9°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 States operates approximately 12,360 active satellites in total, of which 919 share a similar altitude band with SKYSAT C3.