GAOFEN 12 (02)

GAOFEN 12 (02) is an active satellite operated by China National Academy of Sciences (CNSAS) (China), launched on 2021-03-30 from Jiuquan, China. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 626 km and 631 km with an inclination of 98.0°. It travels at approximately 27,167 km/h (7.55 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.80 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 GAOFEN 12 (02) in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

GAOFEN 12 (02) orbits at an average altitude of 629 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 GAOFEN 12 (02)’s average altitude, there are currently 785 active payloads and 833 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050. With an inclination of 98.0°, GAOFEN 12 (02) passes over latitudes between 98.0°N and 98.0°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 137 share a similar altitude band with GAOFEN 12 (02).