OBJECT B

OBJECT B (NORAD ID 69473) is a space object catalogued under China, launched on 2026-06-09 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China on the Qianfan DTC1 launch. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. Independent catalogue analysis identifies this object as Zhongguo Yidong 02, attributed to China Mobile. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 394 km and 404 km with an inclination of 55.0°. It travels at approximately 27,623 km/h (7.67 km/s), completing one full orbit every 93 minutes — that’s roughly 15.56 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 months to ~1 year. 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 399 km in the lower reaches of Low Earth Orbit, where atmospheric drag is significant and orbital lifetimes are measured in months to a few years. This is the busiest corridor in space — home to crewed spacecraft, rapid-revisit imaging satellites and the densest part of the Starlink constellation. Within ±50 km of OBJECT B’s average altitude, there are currently 1,170 active payloads and 83 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ISS (ZARYA), STARLINK-1008, STARLINK-1012. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 6.2% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 55.0°, OBJECT B passes over latitudes between 55.0°N and 55.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. China operates approximately 1,330 active satellites in total, of which 41 share a similar altitude band with OBJECT B.