STARLINK-3005
NORAD 48881
Payload
LEO
2021-059C
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LEO · NORAD 48881
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
562 km
Apogee
564 km
Inclination
97.6°
Period
95.9 min
Mean Motion
15.01223875 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-06-19 17:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude563 km
Orbital Velocity27,295 km/h
Velocity7.58 km/s
Orbital Period96 minutes
Orbits / Day15.01
Eccentricity0.0001
Semi-Major Axis6,934 km
Orbit ClassSun-Synchronous (SSO)
Est. Orbital Lifetime~3–10 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇺🇸 SpaceX (United States)
Launch Date
2021-06-30
Launch Site
Cape Canaveral, Florida
Int'l Designator
2021-059C
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
🔗 Constellation / Groups
starlink
📖 About This Object
STARLINK-3005 is an active satellite operated by SpaceX (United States), launched on 2021-06-30 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 562 km and 564 km with an inclination of 97.6°. It travels at approximately 27,295 km/h (7.58 km/s), completing one full orbit every 96 minutes — that’s roughly 15.01 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. It is part of the Starlink constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~3–10 years. Orbital Radar tracks STARLINK-3005 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.
🌍 Orbit Context
STARLINK-3005 orbits at an average altitude of 563 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 STARLINK-3005’s average altitude, there are currently 3,190 active payloads and 458 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1184, STARLINK-1276, ONEWEB-0050. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 18.3% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 97.6°, STARLINK-3005 passes over latitudes between 97.6°N and 97.6°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. United States operates approximately 12,339 active satellites in total, of which 2,687 share a similar altitude band with STARLINK-3005.
🔗 Starlink Constellation
This satellite is part of SpaceX's Starlink mega-constellation, the largest satellite constellation ever deployed. Starlink provides low-latency broadband internet to users in 70+ countries using thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit at altitudes between 540–570 km. Each satellite weighs approximately 260–300 kg (v1.5/v2 Mini) and uses krypton-ion thrusters for station-keeping and end-of-life deorbiting. The constellation is designed for autonomous collision avoidance manoeuvring. As of 2026, approximately 9,850 Starlink satellites are operational, with SpaceX targeting 12,000 in the initial shell and up to 42,000 approved.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
STARLINK-3005 is in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a specialised form of LEO at approximately 563 km altitude. Its 97.6° inclination causes the orbital plane to precess at exactly the rate of the Earth’s revolution around the Sun, so the satellite crosses each latitude at a consistent local solar time. It completes one orbit every 96 minutes, travelling at 27,295 km/h.
STARLINK-3005 is operated by SpaceX (United States). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 48881. You can track STARLINK-3005 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker or browse all operators in the operator directory.
STARLINK-3005 was launched on 2021-06-30 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, one of the busiest launch facilities in the world, operated by NASA and the U.S. Space Force on Florida’s Atlantic coast. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~3–10 years. View the full satellite launch log.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks STARLINK-3005 (NORAD ID 48881) using the latest TLE (two-line element set) data from Space-Track and CelesTrak. Open the live tracker to see its current position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated in real time. You can also browse the satellite directory to find other tracked objects.
STARLINK-3005 travels at approximately 27,295 km/h (16,960 mph) — roughly 7.58 km/s. It completes 15.01 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 30 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.
STARLINK-3005 is a member of the Starlink constellation. Satellites in this group work together to provide coordinated coverage, typically in similar orbital planes at comparable altitudes. You can view all Starlink satellites on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.