OBJECT B

OBJECT B (NORAD ID 52717) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2022-05-20 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China on the BSX-1/2 launch. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as DFH DTSW, attributed to CAST. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 1,114 km and 1,182 km with an inclination of 86.0°. It travels at approximately 26,211 km/h (7.28 km/s), completing one full orbit every 108 minutes — that’s roughly 13.30 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT B in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT B orbits at an average altitude of 1,148 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 B’s average altitude, there are currently 555 active payloads and 396 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0012, ONEWEB-0010, ONEWEB-0008. With an inclination of 86.0°, OBJECT B passes over latitudes between 86.0°N and 86.0°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 1,288 active satellites in total, of which 204 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT B.