JD 3

JD 3 is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 1984-02-05 from Vandenberg SFB, California. With over 42 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 401 km and 1,460 km with an inclination of 63.3°. It travels at approximately 26,599 km/h (7.39 km/s), completing one full orbit every 104 minutes — that’s roughly 13.89 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks JD 3 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

JD 3 orbits in the most densely populated region of Low Earth Orbit, between roughly 300 and 600 km altitude. This band is home to the International Space Station, most Earth observation satellites, and the bulk of the Starlink constellation. Objects here experience measurable atmospheric drag, which gradually lowers their orbit over months to years and eventually causes re-entry. The relatively short signal path makes this altitude ideal for low-latency communications and high-resolution imaging.