OBJECT F

OBJECT F (NORAD ID 57585) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2023-08-10 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China on the Xiguang-1 launch. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as Xi'an Hangtou 104, attributed to Xi'an Hangtou. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 417 km and 424 km with an inclination of 97.4°. It travels at approximately 27,580 km/h (7.66 km/s), completing one full orbit every 93 minutes — that’s roughly 15.49 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. 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 F in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT F orbits at an average altitude of 421 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 F’s average altitude, there are currently 6,356 active payloads and 116 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ISS (ZARYA), STARLINK-1008, STARLINK-1012. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 34% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 97.4°, OBJECT F passes over latitudes between 97.4°N and 97.4°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. China operates approximately 1,288 active satellites in total, of which 63 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT F.