KL-ALPHA B

KL-ALPHA B is an active satellite operated by KLEO Connect (Germany), launched on 2019-11-17 from Jiuquan, China. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 1,030 km and 1,071 km with an inclination of 88.9°. It travels at approximately 26,383 km/h (7.33 km/s), completing one full orbit every 106 minutes — that’s roughly 13.56 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks KL-ALPHA B in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

KL-ALPHA B orbits at an average altitude of 1,051 km in the upper LEO band, where atmospheric drag is negligible and objects can persist for centuries to millennia. This altitude is used by broadband constellations like OneWeb and by scientific missions requiring stable orbits far from the densest debris bands. Within ±50 km of KL-ALPHA B’s average altitude, there are currently 180 active payloads and 468 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 88.9°, KL-ALPHA B passes over latitudes between 88.9°N and 88.9°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. Germany operates approximately 80 active satellites in total, of which 2 share a similar altitude band with KL-ALPHA B.