CENTISPACE-1 S12

CENTISPACE-1 S12 is an active satellite operated by China, launched on 2025-01-13 from YSLA. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 949 km and 974 km with an inclination of 55.0°. It travels at approximately 26,543 km/h (7.37 km/s), completing one full orbit every 104 minutes — that’s roughly 13.81 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks CENTISPACE-1 S12 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

CENTISPACE-1 S12 orbits at an average altitude of 962 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 CENTISPACE-1 S12’s average altitude, there are currently 290 active payloads and 1,033 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 55.0°, CENTISPACE-1 S12 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. China operates approximately 1,219 active satellites in total, of which 24 share a similar altitude band with CENTISPACE-1 S12.