KUIPER-00279

KUIPER-00279 is an active satellite operated by Amazon (United States), launched on 2026-02-12 from Guiana Space Centre, Kourou on the Amazon LE-01 launch. As a relatively recent addition to the catalogue, its orbital elements are well-characterised. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 578 km and 591 km with an inclination of 51.9°. It travels at approximately 27,253 km/h (7.57 km/s), completing one full orbit every 96 minutes — that’s roughly 14.93 orbits per day. Its near-circular orbit (eccentricity close to zero) means it maintains a very consistent altitude throughout each revolution. It is part of the Kuiper constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~3–10 years. Orbital Radar tracks KUIPER-00279 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

KUIPER-00279 orbits at an average altitude of 585 km in the core of Low Earth Orbit, the most heavily utilised altitude band. The balance of moderate drag (limiting debris accumulation) and short signal path (enabling low-latency links and high-resolution imaging) makes this regime the default for most commercial and government missions. Within ±50 km of KUIPER-00279’s average altitude, there are currently 3,047 active payloads and 579 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include ONEWEB-0050, STARLINK-3005, STARLINK-3090. This makes it one of the more crowded altitude bands, containing roughly 17.4% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 51.9°, KUIPER-00279 passes over latitudes between 51.9°N and 51.9°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 12,413 active satellites in total, of which 2,500 share a similar altitude band with KUIPER-00279.