OBJECT A

OBJECT A is an active satellite operated by CASC (China), launched on 2023-05-21 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China on the Aomen Kexue launch. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as Macao Science 1A, attributed to China Aerospace. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 431 km and 438 km with an inclination of 41.0°. It travels at approximately 27,551 km/h (7.65 km/s), completing one full orbit every 93 minutes — that’s roughly 15.44 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 ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT A orbits at an average altitude of 435 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of OBJECT A’s average altitude, there are currently 10,590 active payloads and 129 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ISS (ZARYA), STARLINK-1017, STARLINK-1039. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 53.9% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 41.0°, OBJECT A passes over latitudes between 41.0°N and 41.0°S, covering the tropical and temperate zones where most of the world’s population resides. Low-to-mid inclination orbits are efficient to reach from equatorial and mid-latitude launch sites. China operates approximately 1,650 active satellites in total, of which 142 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT A.