CZ-4C R/B

CZ-4C R/B is a spent rocket body associated with China, launched on 2022-12-12 from Jiuquan, China on the Shiyan 20A/20B launch. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 653 km and 787 km with an inclination of 60.0°. It travels at approximately 26,991 km/h (7.50 km/s), completing one full orbit every 99 minutes — that’s roughly 14.52 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Spent rocket bodies like CZ-4C 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.

CZ-4C R/B orbits at an average altitude of 720 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 CZ-4C R/B’s average altitude, there are currently 283 active payloads and 1,690 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include TERRA, AQUA, LANDSAT 9. With an inclination of 60.0°, CZ-4C R/B passes over latitudes between 60.0°N and 60.0°S, covering most populated land masses in both hemispheres. This mid-inclination band balances global coverage with efficient launch energy requirements. China operates approximately 1,221 active satellites in total, of which 58 share a similar altitude band with CZ-4C R/B.