ZQ-2E DEB

ZQ-2E DEB is a tracked piece of space debris attributed to China, launched on 2026-06-09 from Jiuquan, China on the Qianfan DTC1/ZYD-02 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 179 km and 219 km with an inclination of 54.5°. It travels at approximately 28,041 km/h (7.79 km/s), completing one full orbit every 88 minutes — that’s roughly 16.33 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is days to weeks — very low orbit, rapid decay. As orbital debris, ZQ-2E DEB poses a potential collision risk to operational satellites in nearby orbits and is continuously monitored by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and other tracking systems.

ZQ-2E DEB orbits at an average altitude of 199 km in the lower reaches of Low Earth Orbit, where atmospheric drag is significant and orbital lifetimes are measured in months to a few years. This is the busiest corridor in space — home to crewed spacecraft, rapid-revisit imaging satellites and the densest part of the Starlink constellation. Within ±50 km of ZQ-2E DEB’s average altitude, there are currently 32 active payloads and 2 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1606, STARLINK-1665, STARLINK-1663. This is a relatively sparse altitude band, containing less than 1% of all active satellites. With an inclination of 54.5°, ZQ-2E DEB passes over latitudes between 54.5°N and 54.5°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 2 share a similar altitude band with ZQ-2E DEB.