Home Library TLE (Two-Line Element Set)
🔤 Orbital Glossary

TLE (Two-Line Element Set)

Definition: TLE.

📘 Definition
A TLE is a standardised text format that encodes a satellite's orbital parameters — including inclination, eccentricity, RAAN, argument of perigee, mean anomaly, and mean motion — at a specific epoch. Developed by NORAD in the 1960s, TLEs are the foundation of public satellite tracking. Orbital Radar uses TLEs propagated through the SGP4 algorithm to generate real-time positions. See What Is a TLE? for a detailed breakdown.
🛰️ Explore the Live Tracker
See every satellite and debris object in real time on Orbital Radar's interactive 3D globe.
Open Tracker →
Last updated: