OTB

OTB is an active satellite operated by General Atomics - Electromagnetic Systems Group (United States), launched on 2019-06-25 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 694 km and 710 km with an inclination of 24.0°. It travels at approximately 27,025 km/h (7.51 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.57 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks OTB in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OTB orbits at an average altitude of 702 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 OTB’s average altitude, there are currently 273 active payloads and 1,479 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 24.0°, OTB passes over latitudes between 24.0°N and 24.0°S, covering the tropical and temperate zones where most of the world’s population resides. Low-to-mid inclination orbits are efficient to reach from equatorial and mid-latitude launch sites. United States operates approximately 12,360 active satellites in total, of which 60 share a similar altitude band with OTB.