HAIYANG 3A

HAIYANG 3A is an active satellite operated by China, launched on 2023-11-16 from Jiuquan, China. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 771 km and 785 km with an inclination of 98.5°. It travels at approximately 26,881 km/h (7.47 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.34 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 ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks HAIYANG 3A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

HAIYANG 3A orbits at an average altitude of 778 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 HAIYANG 3A’s average altitude, there are currently 399 active payloads and 2,161 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include NOAA 20, ONEWEB-0179, ONEWEB-0455. With an inclination of 98.5°, HAIYANG 3A passes over latitudes between 98.5°N and 98.5°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. China operates approximately 1,219 active satellites in total, of which 65 share a similar altitude band with HAIYANG 3A.