CZ-2D R/B

CZ-2D R/B is a spent rocket body associated with China, launched on 2025-01-17 from Jiuquan, China. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 251 km and 270 km with an inclination of 97.4°. It travels at approximately 27,910 km/h (7.75 km/s), completing one full orbit every 90 minutes — that’s roughly 16.07 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 weeks to months. Spent rocket bodies like CZ-2D R/B are among the largest pieces of uncontrolled space debris and are priority targets for collision avoidance manoeuvres and future active debris removal efforts.

CZ-2D R/B orbits at an average altitude of 261 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 CZ-2D R/B’s average altitude, there are currently 152 active payloads and 4 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1151, STARLINK-1143, STARLINK-1320. With an inclination of 97.4°, CZ-2D R/B 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. China operates approximately 1,219 active satellites in total, of which 4 share a similar altitude band with CZ-2D R/B.