OPS 7898 (P/L 4)

OPS 7898 (P/L 4) is an active satellite operated by NRO / NRL (United States), launched on 1971-12-14 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the POPPY 7 SV1 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 977 km and 989 km with an inclination of 70.0°. It travels at approximately 26,504 km/h (7.36 km/s), completing one full orbit every 105 minutes — that’s roughly 13.75 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 OPS 7898 (P/L 4) in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OPS 7898 (P/L 4) orbits at an average altitude of 983 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 OPS 7898 (P/L 4)’s average altitude, there are currently 413 active payloads and 1,144 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 70.0°, OPS 7898 (P/L 4) passes over latitudes between 70.0°N and 70.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. United States operates approximately 13,279 active satellites in total, of which 148 share a similar altitude band with OPS 7898 (P/L 4).