TRANSIT 5B-1

TRANSIT 5B-1 is an active satellite operated by USN BuWeps (United States), launched on 1963-09-28 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the Transit VBN-1 launch. After more than 63 years in orbit, it is one of the longest-surviving objects in the space catalogue. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 1,060 km and 1,124 km with an inclination of 90.0°. It travels at approximately 26,310 km/h (7.31 km/s), completing one full orbit every 107 minutes — that’s roughly 13.45 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks TRANSIT 5B-1 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

TRANSIT 5B-1 orbits at an average altitude of 1,092 km in the upper LEO band, where atmospheric drag is negligible and objects can persist for centuries to millennia. This altitude is used by broadband constellations like OneWeb and by scientific missions requiring stable orbits far from the densest debris bands. Within ±50 km of TRANSIT 5B-1’s average altitude, there are currently 305 active payloads and 524 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 90.0°, TRANSIT 5B-1 passes over latitudes between 90.0°N and 90.0°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. United States operates approximately 13,279 active satellites in total, of which 42 share a similar altitude band with TRANSIT 5B-1.