FENGYUN 3A

FENGYUN 3A is an active satellite operated by China, launched on 2008-05-27 from Taiyuan, China. After 18 years in orbit, it continues to be tracked by global surveillance networks. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 820 km and 834 km with an inclination of 98.7°. It travels at approximately 26,790 km/h (7.44 km/s), completing one full orbit every 101 minutes — that’s roughly 14.20 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 Weather constellation group. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks FENGYUN 3A in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

FENGYUN 3A 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°.