YINHE-1

YINHE-1 is an active satellite operated by GalaxySpace (China), launched on 2020-01-16 from Jiuquan, China. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 622 km and 642 km with an inclination of 86.4°. It travels at approximately 27,160 km/h (7.54 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.79 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks YINHE-1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

YINHE-1 orbits at an average altitude of 632 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 YINHE-1’s average altitude, there are currently 787 active payloads and 856 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050. With an inclination of 86.4°, YINHE-1 passes over latitudes between 86.4°N and 86.4°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 1,218 active satellites in total, of which 149 share a similar altitude band with YINHE-1.