OBJECT E

OBJECT E (NORAD ID 51950) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2022-03-05 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China on the Yinhe 2-01/06 launch. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as Nantong 1, attributed to Yinhe. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 925 km and 1,174 km with an inclination of 63.5°. It travels at approximately 26,385 km/h (7.33 km/s), completing one full orbit every 106 minutes — that’s roughly 13.56 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT E in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT E orbits at an average altitude of 1,050 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 OBJECT E’s average altitude, there are currently 303 active payloads and 647 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 63.5°, OBJECT E passes over latitudes between 63.5°N and 63.5°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. China operates approximately 1,288 active satellites in total, of which 241 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT E.