OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT)

OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT) is an active satellite operated by SAMSO (United States), launched on 1972-10-02 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the Radcat launch. After more than 54 years in orbit, it is one of the longest-surviving objects in the space catalogue. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 651 km and 664 km with an inclination of 98.7°. It travels at approximately 27,111 km/h (7.53 km/s), completing one full orbit every 98 minutes — that’s roughly 14.71 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 OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT) in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT) orbits at an average altitude of 658 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 OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT)’s average altitude, there are currently 855 active payloads and 1,192 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, ONEWEB-0179. With an inclination of 98.7°, OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT) passes over latitudes between 98.7°N and 98.7°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 13,279 active satellites in total, of which 467 share a similar altitude band with OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT).