SOAP

SOAP is an active satellite operated by France, launched on 2025-03-15 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 575 km and 578 km with an inclination of 97.7°. It travels at approximately 27,268 km/h (7.57 km/s), completing one full orbit every 96 minutes — that’s roughly 14.97 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 ~3–10 years. Orbital Radar tracks SOAP in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

SOAP orbits at an average altitude of 577 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 SOAP’s average altitude, there are currently 3,133 active payloads and 516 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050, STARLINK-2112, STARLINK-2722. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 18% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 97.7°, SOAP passes over latitudes between 97.7°N and 97.7°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. France operates approximately 114 active satellites in total, of which 22 share a similar altitude band with SOAP.