OPS 4547

OPS 4547 is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 1974-04-10 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the HEXAGON SV-8 launch. After more than 52 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 766 km and 805 km with an inclination of 94.6°. It travels at approximately 26,867 km/h (7.46 km/s), completing one full orbit every 101 minutes — that’s roughly 14.32 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks OPS 4547 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OPS 4547 orbits at an average altitude of 786 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 OPS 4547’s average altitude, there are currently 447 active payloads and 2,420 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include NOAA 20, ONEWEB-0455. With an inclination of 94.6°, OPS 4547 passes over latitudes between 94.6°N and 94.6°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 13,206 active satellites in total, of which 187 share a similar altitude band with OPS 4547.