CATCH-1

CATCH-1 is an active satellite operated by CAS (China), launched on 2024-06-22 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China on the SVOM launch. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 610 km and 616 km with an inclination of 29.0°. It travels at approximately 27,197 km/h (7.55 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.85 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 ~10–25 years. Orbital Radar tracks CATCH-1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

CATCH-1 orbits at an average altitude of 613 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 CATCH-1’s average altitude, there are currently 1,284 active payloads and 785 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050, STARLINK-3005, STARLINK-3055. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 6.8% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 29.0°, CATCH-1 passes over latitudes between 29.0°N and 29.0°S, covering the tropical and temperate zones where most of the world’s population resides. Low-to-mid inclination orbits are efficient to reach from equatorial and mid-latitude launch sites. China operates approximately 1,340 active satellites in total, of which 136 share a similar altitude band with CATCH-1.