YZ-2 R/B

YZ-2 R/B is a spent rocket body associated with China, launched on 2016-11-03 from Wenchang, China on the SJ-17 launch. After 10 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) at altitudes between 35,758 km and 39,856 km with an inclination of 9.4°. It travels at approximately 10,814 km/h (3.00 km/s), completing one full orbit every 25.7 hours — that’s roughly 0.93 orbits per day. At geostationary altitude, there is no meaningful atmospheric drag — this object will remain in orbit indefinitely unless actively deorbited. Spent rocket bodies like YZ-2 R/B are among the largest pieces of uncontrolled space debris and are priority targets for collision avoidance manoeuvres and future active debris removal efforts.

YZ-2 R/B occupies geostationary orbit at approximately 35,786 km above the equator, where its orbital period matches the Earth’s 24-hour rotation. From the ground, it appears to hover over a fixed point — ideal for broadcast television, weather monitoring and wideband communications. With an inclination of 9.4°, it traces a small figure-of-eight pattern relative to the equator rather than remaining perfectly stationary, which can indicate aging stationkeeping fuel or a deliberate inclined-orbit strategy. China operates approximately 1,221 active satellites in total.