PACE

PACE is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 2024-02-08 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 675 km and 676 km with an inclination of 98.1°. It travels at approximately 27,076 km/h (7.52 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.66 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 ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks PACE in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

PACE orbits at an average altitude of 676 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 PACE’s average altitude, there are currently 535 active payloads and 1,249 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 98.1°, PACE passes over latitudes between 98.1°N and 98.1°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 12,360 active satellites in total, of which 269 share a similar altitude band with PACE.