HAWK-5C

HAWK-5C is an active satellite operated by HawkEye 360 (United States), launched on 2022-05-25 from Cape Canaveral, Florida on the Transporter-5 launch. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 409 km and 415 km with an inclination of 97.7°. It travels at approximately 27,597 km/h (7.67 km/s), completing one full orbit every 93 minutes — that’s roughly 15.52 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. Its near-circular orbit (eccentricity close to zero) means it maintains a very consistent altitude throughout each revolution. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~1–3 years. Orbital Radar tracks HAWK-5C in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.

HAWK-5C orbits at an average altitude of 412 km in a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), a specialised subset of LEO where the orbital plane precesses to maintain a constant angle relative to the Sun. This provides consistent lighting conditions on every pass — essential for Earth observation, weather monitoring and environmental science. Within ±50 km of HAWK-5C’s average altitude, there are currently 831 active payloads and 113 tracked debris or rocket body fragments — notable neighbours include STARLINK-1008, STARLINK-1012, STARLINK-1020. With an inclination of 97.7°, HAWK-5C passes over latitudes between 97.7°N and 97.7°S, providing near-global coverage including the polar regions. Polar and near-polar orbits are used for reconnaissance, weather monitoring and Earth-observation missions that need to image every part of the planet. United States operates approximately 12,413 active satellites in total, of which 647 share a similar altitude band with HAWK-5C.