ION SCV-016

ION SCV-016 is an active satellite operated by Italy, 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 304 km and 1,140 km with an inclination of 97.4°. It travels at approximately 26,987 km/h (7.50 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.51 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. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks ION SCV-016 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

ION SCV-016 orbits at an average altitude of 722 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 ION SCV-016’s average altitude, there are currently 288 active payloads and 1,708 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 97.4°, ION SCV-016 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. Italy operates approximately 88 active satellites in total, of which 2 share a similar altitude band with ION SCV-016.