QIANFAN-201

QIANFAN-201 is an active satellite operated by China, launched on 2026-07-04 from Taiyuan, China on the Qianfan Jigui 13 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 653 km and 776 km with an inclination of 89.0°. It travels at approximately 27,001 km/h (7.50 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.53 orbits per day. It is part of the Qianfan constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks QIANFAN-201 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

QIANFAN-201 orbits at an average altitude of 715 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 QIANFAN-201’s average altitude, there are currently 274 active payloads and 1,590 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 89.0°, QIANFAN-201 passes over latitudes between 89.0°N and 89.0°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. China operates approximately 1,247 active satellites in total, of which 60 share a similar altitude band with QIANFAN-201.