GEESAT 5-08

GEESAT 5-08 is an active satellite operated by China, launched on 2025-09-08 from YSLA. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 620 km and 633 km with an inclination of 50.0°. 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-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. Orbital Radar tracks GEESAT 5-08 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

GEESAT 5-08 orbits at an average altitude of 627 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 GEESAT 5-08’s average altitude, there are currently 801 active payloads and 827 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050. With an inclination of 50.0°, GEESAT 5-08 passes over latitudes between 50.0°N and 50.0°S, covering the tropical and temperate zones where most of the world’s population resides. Low-to-mid inclination orbits are efficient to reach from equatorial and mid-latitude launch sites. China operates approximately 1,218 active satellites in total, of which 134 share a similar altitude band with GEESAT 5-08.