SPHEREX DEB

SPHEREX DEB is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to United States, launched on 2025-03-12 from Vandenberg SFB, California on the SPHEREx launch. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 621 km and 632 km with an inclination of 98.0°. It travels at approximately 27,171 km/h (7.55 km/s), completing one full orbit every 97 minutes — that’s roughly 14.81 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 ~10–25 years. As orbital debris, SPHEREX DEB poses a potential collision risk to operational satellites in nearby orbits and is continuously monitored by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and other tracking systems.

SPHEREX DEB orbits at an average altitude of 627 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 SPHEREX DEB’s average altitude, there are currently 802 active payloads and 820 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050. With an inclination of 98.0°, SPHEREX DEB passes over latitudes between 98.0°N and 98.0°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. United States operates approximately 12,358 active satellites in total, of which 344 share a similar altitude band with SPHEREX DEB.