WILDFIRE 1

WILDFIRE 1 is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 2023-09-02 from Vandenberg SFB, California. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 939 km and 948 km with an inclination of 81.0°. It travels at approximately 26,575 km/h (7.38 km/s), completing one full orbit every 104 minutes — that’s roughly 13.86 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 WILDFIRE 1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

WILDFIRE 1 orbits at an average altitude of 944 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 WILDFIRE 1’s average altitude, there are currently 324 active payloads and 1,112 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 81.0°, WILDFIRE 1 passes over latitudes between 81.0°N and 81.0°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. United States operates approximately 12,339 active satellites in total, of which 89 share a similar altitude band with WILDFIRE 1.