OPS 6431

OPS 6431 is an active satellite operated by NRO / NRL (United States), launched on 1976-04-30 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, United States on the PARCAE 1 launch. After more than 50 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 671 km and 1,174 km with an inclination of 63.4°. It travels at approximately 26,614 km/h (7.39 km/s), completing one full orbit every 103 minutes — that’s roughly 13.92 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks OPS 6431 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

OPS 6431 orbits at an average altitude of 923 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 OPS 6431’s average altitude, there are currently 330 active payloads and 1,406 tracked debris or rocket body fragments. With an inclination of 63.4°, OPS 6431 passes over latitudes between 63.4°N and 63.4°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. United States operates approximately 13,279 active satellites in total, of which 165 share a similar altitude band with OPS 6431.