OBJECT B

OBJECT B (NORAD ID 66410) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2025-11-09 from Jiuquan, China on the Chutian 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 716 km and 734 km with an inclination of 98.3°. It travels at approximately 26,981 km/h (7.49 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.50 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. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks OBJECT B in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OBJECT B orbits at an average altitude of 725 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 OBJECT B’s average altitude, there are currently 294 active payloads and 1,731 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 98.3°, OBJECT B passes over latitudes between 98.3°N and 98.3°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. China operates approximately 1,218 active satellites in total, of which 59 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT B.