OBJECT AE

OBJECT AE is an active satellite operated by Sitronics (Unknown), launched on 2023-06-27 from Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia on the Soyuz Rideshare 11 launch. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as SITRO-AIS-7, attributed to Sitronics. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 475 km and 489 km with an inclination of 97.5°. It travels at approximately 27,456 km/h (7.63 km/s), completing one full orbit every 94 minutes — that’s roughly 15.28 orbits per day. Its near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit means it passes over any given point on Earth at approximately the same local solar time, ideal for consistent Earth observation lighting conditions. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT AE in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT AE orbits at an average altitude of 482 km in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a specialised subset of LEO where the orbital plane precesses to maintain a constant angle relative to the Sun. This provides consistent lighting conditions on every pass — essential for Earth observation, weather monitoring and environmental science. Within ±50 km of OBJECT AE’s average altitude, there are currently 11,122 active payloads and 198 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1017, STARLINK-1039, STARLINK-1047. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 56.7% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 97.5°, OBJECT AE passes over latitudes between 97.5°N and 97.5°S, providing near-global coverage including the polar regions. Polar and near-polar orbits are used for reconnaissance, weather monitoring and Earth-observation missions that need to image every part of the planet.