TRANSIT 5E 3

TRANSIT 5E 3 is an active satellite operated by USN BuWeps (United States), launched on 1963-12-05 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the Transit VBN-2 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 1,057 km and 1,105 km with an inclination of 89.9°. It travels at approximately 26,329 km/h (7.31 km/s), completing one full orbit every 107 minutes — that’s roughly 13.48 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~500–1,000 years. Orbital Radar tracks TRANSIT 5E 3 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

TRANSIT 5E 3 orbits at an average altitude of 1,081 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 5E 3’s average altitude, there are currently 308 active payloads and 543 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0041. With an inclination of 89.9°, TRANSIT 5E 3 passes over latitudes between 89.9°N and 89.9°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 5E 3.