OBJECT AU

OBJECT AU is an active satellite operated by Unknown, launched on 2024-11-04 from Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia on the Soyuz Rideshare 14 launch. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as Hodhod, attributed to Omid-e-Faza / ISRC. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 405 km and 426 km with an inclination of 97.3°. It travels at approximately 27,590 km/h (7.66 km/s), completing one full orbit every 93 minutes — that’s roughly 15.50 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 ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT AU in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT AU orbits at an average altitude of 416 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 OBJECT AU’s average altitude, there are currently 6,081 active payloads and 110 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ISS (ZARYA), STARLINK-1017, STARLINK-1039. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 31% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 97.3°, OBJECT AU passes over latitudes between 97.3°N and 97.3°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.