ASBM-1

ASBM-1 is an active satellite operated by Space Norway / USSF SSC (Norway), launched on 2024-08-12 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the ASBM-1/2 launch. It orbits in Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) at altitudes between 7,585 km and 44,009 km with an inclination of 63.0°. It travels at approximately 12,672 km/h (3.52 km/s), completing one full orbit every 15 hours 57 minutes — that’s roughly 1.50 orbits per day. Its orbital eccentricity of 0.5662 gives it a noticeably elliptical path, with significant altitude variation between perigee and apogee. Orbital Radar tracks ASBM-1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

ASBM-1 follows a Highly Elliptical Orbit, sweeping between 7,585 km (perigee) and 44,009 km (apogee). It spends most of its 15 hours 57 minutes orbital period near apogee, effectively loitering over a region of interest before rapidly sweeping through perigee — a profile used for high-latitude communications (Molniya orbits), early-warning systems and magnetospheric science. Within ±50 km of ASBM-1’s average altitude, there are currently 2 active payloads and 0 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. This is a relatively sparse altitude band, containing less than 1% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 63.0°, ASBM-1 passes over latitudes between 63.0°N and 63.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. Norway operates approximately 27 active satellites in total, of which 2 share a similar altitude band with ASBM-1.