HAIYANG 2C

HAIYANG 2C is an active satellite operated by State Oceanic Administration (SOA) (China), launched on 2020-09-21 from Jiuquan, China. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 945 km and 958 km with an inclination of 66.0°. It travels at approximately 26,561 km/h (7.38 km/s), completing one full orbit every 104 minutes — that’s roughly 13.83 orbits per day. 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 ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks HAIYANG 2C in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

HAIYANG 2C orbits at an average altitude of 952 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 HAIYANG 2C’s average altitude, there are currently 303 active payloads and 1,082 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 66.0°, HAIYANG 2C passes over latitudes between 66.0°N and 66.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. China operates approximately 1,219 active satellites in total, of which 28 share a similar altitude band with HAIYANG 2C.