OBJECT A

OBJECT A is an active satellite operated by CAST (China), launched on 2024-11-30 from Wenchang Space Launch Site, China on the WHJSW 05 launch. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as Jishu Shiyan Weixing 03, attributed to CAST. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 993 km and 1,077 km with an inclination of 50.0°. It travels at approximately 26,411 km/h (7.34 km/s), completing one full orbit every 106 minutes — that’s roughly 13.60 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT A orbits at an average altitude of 1,035 km in the upper LEO band, where atmospheric drag is negligible and objects can persist for centuries to millennia. This altitude is used by broadband constellations like OneWeb and by scientific missions requiring stable orbits far from the densest debris bands. Within ±50 km of OBJECT A’s average altitude, there are currently 367 active payloads and 735 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 50.0°, OBJECT A passes over latitudes between 50.0°N and 50.0°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 1,650 active satellites in total, of which 247 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT A.