TAURUS-1

TAURUS-1 is an active satellite operated by China, launched on 2019-09-12 from Taiyuan, China. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 649 km and 660 km with an inclination of 98.6°. It travels at approximately 27,116 km/h (7.53 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.72 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. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks TAURUS-1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

TAURUS-1 orbits at an average altitude of 655 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 TAURUS-1’s average altitude, there are currently 679 active payloads and 1,087 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 98.6°, TAURUS-1 passes over latitudes between 98.6°N and 98.6°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. China operates approximately 1,219 active satellites in total, of which 157 share a similar altitude band with TAURUS-1.