SCOT-1 (SCOT)

SCOT-1 (SCOT) is an active satellite operated by Singapore, launched on 2025-01-14 from Vandenberg SFB, California. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 402 km and 406 km with an inclination of 97.4°. It travels at approximately 27,613 km/h (7.67 km/s), completing one full orbit every 93 minutes — that’s roughly 15.54 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 ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks SCOT-1 (SCOT) in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SCOT-1 (SCOT) orbits at an average altitude of 404 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 SCOT-1 (SCOT)’s average altitude, there are currently 1,371 active payloads and 95 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1008, STARLINK-1012, STARLINK-1020. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 7.9% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 97.4°, SCOT-1 (SCOT) passes over latitudes between 97.4°N and 97.4°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. Singapore operates approximately 14 active satellites in total, of which 2 share a similar altitude band with SCOT-1 (SCOT).