COSMOS 2398
NORAD 27818
Payload
LEO
2003-023A
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LEO · NORAD 27818
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
968 km
Apogee
1014 km
Inclination
83.0°
Period
104.9 min
Mean Motion
13.72395982 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-03-17 14:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude991 km
Orbital Velocity26,489 km/h
Velocity7.36 km/s
Orbital Period105 minutes
Orbits / Day13.72
Eccentricity0.0031
Semi-Major Axis7,362 km
Est. Orbital Lifetime~100–500 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇷🇺 Russia (CIS)
Launch Date
2003-06-04
Launch Site
PKMTR
Int'l Designator
2003-023A
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
🔗 Constellation / Groups
russian leo
📖 About This Object
COSMOS 2398 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 2003-06-04 from PKMTR. With over 23 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 968 km and 1,014 km with an inclination of 83.0°. It travels at approximately 26,489 km/h (7.36 km/s), completing one full orbit every 105 minutes — that’s roughly 13.72 orbits per day. It is part of the Russian Leo constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 2398 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.
🌍 Orbit Context
COSMOS 2398 occupies the mid-LEO band between 600 and 1,000 km, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains low. This altitude range balances orbital longevity (decades to centuries) with reasonable ground coverage, making it popular for remote sensing constellations, scientific instruments and weather satellites. Debris concerns are significant here because objects persist far longer than in lower orbits.
🔗 Cosmos (Military/Government) Series
This satellite carries the Cosmos designation, used by Russia (and formerly the Soviet Union) as a generic identifier for military and government spacecraft. The Cosmos series encompasses reconnaissance, signals intelligence (SIGINT), early warning, navigation, communications and scientific payloads. Many Cosmos satellites have classified missions with limited publicly available information.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
COSMOS 2398 orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 968 km (perigee) and 1,014 km (apogee), with an average altitude of approximately 991 km. It completes one orbit every 105 minutes, travelling at approximately 26,489 km/h (16,460 mph).
COSMOS 2398 is operated by Russia (CIS). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 27818. You can track COSMOS 2398 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.
COSMOS 2398 was launched on 2003-06-04 from PKMTR. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~100–500 years.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 2398 (NORAD ID 27818) using the latest TLE (two-line element set) data from Space-Track and CelesTrak. Open the live tracker to see its current position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated in real time.
COSMOS 2398 travels at approximately 26,489 km/h (16,460 mph) — roughly 7.36 km/s. It completes 13.72 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 27 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.
COSMOS 2398 is a member of the Russian Leo constellation. Satellites in this group work together to provide coordinated coverage, typically in similar orbital planes at comparable altitudes. You can view all Russian Leo satellites on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.