COSMOS 2566

COSMOS 2566 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 2022-11-30 from PKMTR. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 900 km and 903 km with an inclination of 67.1°. It travels at approximately 26,652 km/h (7.40 km/s), completing one full orbit every 103 minutes — that’s roughly 13.98 orbits per day. 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 ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 2566 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

COSMOS 2566 orbits at an average altitude of 902 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 COSMOS 2566’s average altitude, there are currently 208 active payloads and 1,339 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 67.1°, COSMOS 2566 passes over latitudes between 67.1°N and 67.1°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,286 active satellites in total, of which 54 share a similar altitude band with COSMOS 2566.