SJ 16-02 DEB

SJ 16-02 DEB is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to China, launched on 2016-06-29 from Jiuquan, China on the SJ-16-02 launch. After 10 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 587 km and 928 km with an inclination of 75.0°. It travels at approximately 26,920 km/h (7.48 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.40 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. As orbital debris, SJ 16-02 DEB poses a potential collision risk to operational satellites in nearby orbits and is continuously monitored by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and other tracking systems.

SJ 16-02 DEB orbits at an average altitude of 758 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 SJ 16-02 DEB’s average altitude, there are currently 357 active payloads and 2,000 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0179. With an inclination of 75.0°, SJ 16-02 DEB passes over latitudes between 75.0°N and 75.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. China operates approximately 1,218 active satellites in total, of which 52 share a similar altitude band with SJ 16-02 DEB.