RASSVET-3 12

RASSVET-3 12 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 2026-03-23 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 526 km and 528 km with an inclination of 82.3°. It travels at approximately 27,366 km/h (7.60 km/s), completing one full orbit every 95 minutes — that’s roughly 15.14 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 ~3–10 years. Orbital Radar tracks RASSVET-3 12 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

RASSVET-3 12 orbits at an average altitude of 527 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of RASSVET-3 12’s average altitude, there are currently 6,795 active payloads and 287 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1039, STARLINK-1184, STARLINK-1231. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 39% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 82.3°, RASSVET-3 12 passes over latitudes between 82.3°N and 82.3°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. Russia (CIS) operates approximately 1,286 active satellites in total, of which 55 share a similar altitude band with RASSVET-3 12.