SHIYAN 20A DEB

SHIYAN 20A DEB is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to China, launched on 2022-12-12 from Jiuquan, China on the Shiyan 20A/20B launch. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 777 km and 787 km with an inclination of 60.0°. It travels at approximately 26,874 km/h (7.46 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.33 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 ~25–100 years. As orbital debris, SHIYAN 20A DEB poses a potential collision risk to operational satellites in nearby orbits and is continuously monitored by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and other tracking systems.

SHIYAN 20A DEB orbits at an average altitude of 782 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 SHIYAN 20A DEB’s average altitude, there are currently 410 active payloads and 2,193 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include NOAA 20, ONEWEB-0179, ONEWEB-0455. With an inclination of 60.0°, SHIYAN 20A DEB passes over latitudes between 60.0°N and 60.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. China operates approximately 1,217 active satellites in total, of which 77 share a similar altitude band with SHIYAN 20A DEB.