COSMOS 2588

COSMOS 2588 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 2025-05-23 from PKMTR. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 473 km and 485 km with an inclination of 73.0°. It travels at approximately 27,462 km/h (7.63 km/s), completing one full orbit every 94 minutes — that’s roughly 15.29 orbits per day. 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 COSMOS 2588 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

COSMOS 2588 orbits at an average altitude of 479 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of COSMOS 2588’s average altitude, there are currently 7,999 active payloads and 213 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1017, STARLINK-1039, STARLINK-1047. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 45.9% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 73.0°, COSMOS 2588 passes over latitudes between 73.0°N and 73.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,285 active satellites in total, of which 52 share a similar altitude band with COSMOS 2588.