SDX02

SDX02 is an active satellite operated by India, launched on 2024-12-30 from SRI. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 358 km and 360 km with an inclination of 55.0°. It travels at approximately 27,705 km/h (7.70 km/s), completing one full orbit every 92 minutes — that’s roughly 15.70 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 months to ~1 year. Orbital Radar tracks SDX02 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SDX02 orbits at an average altitude of 359 km in the lower reaches of Low Earth Orbit, where atmospheric drag is significant and orbital lifetimes are measured in months to a few years. This is the busiest corridor in space — home to crewed spacecraft, rapid-revisit imaging satellites and the densest part of the Starlink constellation. Within ±50 km of SDX02’s average altitude, there are currently 1,171 active payloads and 45 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1020, STARLINK-1036, STARLINK-1042. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 6.7% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 55.0°, SDX02 passes over latitudes between 55.0°N and 55.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. India operates approximately 108 active satellites in total, of which 3 share a similar altitude band with SDX02.