COSMOS 2594

COSMOS 2594 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 2025-08-21 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 279 km and 290 km with an inclination of 96.6°. It travels at approximately 27,860 km/h (7.74 km/s), completing one full orbit every 90 minutes — that’s roughly 15.96 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 weeks to months. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 2594 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

COSMOS 2594 orbits at an average altitude of 285 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 COSMOS 2594’s average altitude, there are currently 295 active payloads and 9 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1067, STARLINK-1151, STARLINK-1143. With an inclination of 96.6°, COSMOS 2594 passes over latitudes between 96.6°N and 96.6°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. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,285 active satellites in total, of which 12 share a similar altitude band with COSMOS 2594.