EOLE 1 (CAS-A)

EOLE 1 (CAS-A) is an active satellite operated by CNES (France), launched on 1971-08-16 from Wallops Flight Facility / MARS, United States on the Eole launch. After more than 55 years in orbit, it is one of the longest-surviving objects in the space catalogue. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 620 km and 764 km with an inclination of 50.1°. It travels at approximately 27,044 km/h (7.51 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.60 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks EOLE 1 (CAS-A) in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

EOLE 1 (CAS-A) orbits at an average altitude of 692 km in the mid-LEO band, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains manageable. Objects at this altitude persist for decades to centuries, making debris mitigation critical. This regime is popular for remote sensing constellations and scientific instruments that need stable, long-duration orbits. Within ±50 km of EOLE 1 (CAS-A)’s average altitude, there are currently 307 active payloads and 1,485 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, ONEWEB-0179. With an inclination of 50.1°, EOLE 1 (CAS-A) passes over latitudes between 50.1°N and 50.1°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. France operates approximately 124 active satellites in total, of which 37 share a similar altitude band with EOLE 1 (CAS-A).