NOAA 12

NOAA 12 is an active satellite operated by United States, launched on 1991-05-14 from Vandenberg SFB, California. With over 35 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 794 km and 812 km with an inclination of 98.6°. It travels at approximately 26,834 km/h (7.45 km/s), completing one full orbit every 101 minutes — that’s roughly 14.27 orbits per day. Its near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit means it passes over any given point on Earth at approximately the same local solar time, ideal for consistent Earth observation lighting conditions. It is part of the Noaa constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks NOAA 12 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

NOAA 12 operates in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a special subset of LEO where the orbital plane precesses to keep a constant angle relative to the Sun. This means the satellite crosses any given latitude at approximately the same local solar time on every pass, providing consistent lighting conditions — essential for Earth observation, weather monitoring and environmental science. SSO orbits typically sit between 600 and 800 km altitude with inclinations near 97–99°.