KSM1-C

KSM1-C is an active satellite operated by Kleos Space (Luxembourg), launched on 2020-11-07 from SRI. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 483 km and 488 km with an inclination of 36.9°. It travels at approximately 27,449 km/h (7.62 km/s), completing one full orbit every 94 minutes — that’s roughly 15.27 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 ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks KSM1-C in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

KSM1-C orbits at an average altitude of 486 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of KSM1-C’s average altitude, there are currently 8,043 active payloads and 225 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1017, STARLINK-1039, STARLINK-1047. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 46.2% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 36.9°, KSM1-C passes over latitudes between 36.9°N and 36.9°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. Luxembourg operates approximately 12 active satellites in total, of which 6 share a similar altitude band with KSM1-C.