XPOSAT

XPOSAT is an active satellite operated by India, launched on 2024-01-01 from SRI on the XPoSAT launch. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 625 km and 639 km with an inclination of 6.0°. It travels at approximately 27,160 km/h (7.54 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.79 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks XPOSAT in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

XPOSAT orbits at an average altitude of 632 km in the mid-LEO band, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains manageable. Objects at this altitude persist for decades to centuries, making debris mitigation critical. This regime is popular for remote sensing constellations and scientific instruments that need stable, long-duration orbits. Within ±50 km of XPOSAT’s average altitude, there are currently 797 active payloads and 862 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050, STARLINK-5823. With an inclination of 6.0°, XPOSAT passes over latitudes between 6.0°N and 6.0°S, concentrating coverage over equatorial and near-equatorial regions. Low-inclination orbits maximise revisit rates over specific tropical zones. India operates approximately 109 active satellites in total, of which 14 share a similar altitude band with XPOSAT.