OBJECT A

OBJECT A (NORAD ID 65226) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2025-08-17 from Xichang, China on the SY28B-02 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 791 km and 796 km with an inclination of 11.0°. It travels at approximately 26,852 km/h (7.46 km/s), completing one full orbit every 101 minutes — that’s roughly 14.29 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 ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT A orbits at an average altitude of 794 km in the mid-LEO band, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains manageable. Objects at this altitude persist for decades to centuries, making debris mitigation critical. This regime is popular for remote sensing constellations and scientific instruments that need stable, long-duration orbits. Within ±50 km of OBJECT A’s average altitude, there are currently 428 active payloads and 2,255 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include NOAA 20, ONEWEB-0179, ONEWEB-0455. With an inclination of 11.0°, OBJECT A passes over latitudes between 11.0°N and 11.0°S, concentrating coverage over equatorial and near-equatorial regions. Low-inclination orbits maximise revisit rates over specific tropical zones. China operates approximately 1,218 active satellites in total, of which 96 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT A.