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Primary source of unclassified orbital elements
| 2026 - Launches to Orbit and Beyond
Listed are launches, irrespective of outcome, that were irretrievably committed to flight towards orbit or intended to accelerate the payload to escape velocity. The following notes should help with understanding the launch lists.
Launch times are in UTC and are either from the launching agency or estimated by 'walking back' along the ground track to the launch site.
Most orbit data and decay information comes from SpaceTrack. The Space-Track data occasionally contains inconsistencies (eg - incorrect re-entry dates or early sets of elements allocated to the wrong object) that need to be corrected from other sources.
To fill the gaps where elements are not formally published, usually because they have a classification of "Secret", some orbits are based on amateur observations. Such data is published near-daily by Mike McCants. Occasionally, orbits are estimated by myself from public data.
Space-Track sometimes has insufficient information to allocate names to objects in its catalogue. In these cases, names are derived from public information.
Apogee and perigee are measured against a spherical Earth with a radius of 6378.145 km, assumed to be situated at the focus of the orbital ellipse. The value for the orbital period is the Anomalistic Period, or time to complete one circuit of the ellipse. It is not the same as the time taken to complete one circuit of the Earth. Care should be exercised when comparing Orbital Focus data with other published orbits because they may have been derived using a different model.
2026-001 Falcon 9 Block 5
Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2026 Jan 3, 02:09 | COSMO-Skymed 5 2026-001A 67304 |
in space
|
| Second generation satellite as part of the COnstellation of small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation, equipped with a synthetic aperture imaging radar (SAR). Separated from launch vehicle at 02:22 UTC. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | Desc Node
Local Time | |
| 2026 Jan 3, 12:57 | 7003 | 0.0004 | 622 | 627 | 97.20 | 97.86 | 176 | 17:45 | | | 2026 Jan 15, 05:22 | 7000 | 0.0002 | 621 | 623 | 97.15 | 97.85 | 90 | 17:45 | | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
Re-entered - 2026 Jan 2
Life <1 day
|
| Launched COSMO-Skymed 5. Caused to re-enter after releasing satellite. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-002 Falcon 9 Block 5 (Starlink Group 06-088)
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | 2026 Jan 4, 06:48 | Starlink 36490 2026-002A 67305 |
in space
|
One member of a simultaneously-launched cluster of twenty nine broadband and mobile telephone communications satellites from SpaceX aimed ultimately at 550 km altitude. Separated from launch vehicle at 06:48 UTC.
All satellites expected to be injected initially into similar orbits at about 300 km altitude. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 7, 18:00 | 6639 | 0.0002 | 260 | 263 | 89.73 | 43.00 | 257 | | | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
Re-entered - 2026 Jan 4
Life <1 day
|
| Launched Starlink Group 06-088. Caused to re-enter after releasing satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-003 Falcon 9 Block 5 (Starlink Group 06-096)
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | 2026 Jan 10, 00:41 | Starlink 35343 2026-003A 67334 |
in space
|
One member of a simultaneously-launched cluster of twenty nine broadband and mobile telephone communications satellites from SpaceX aimed ultimately at 550 km altitude. Separated from launch vehicle at 01:46 UTC.
All satellites expected to be injected initially into similar orbits at about 300 km altitude. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 17, 06:00 | 6670 | 0.0002 | 291 | 293 | 90.36 | 43.00 | 271 | | | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
Re-entered - 2026 Jan 10
Life <1 day
|
| Launched Starlink Group 06-096. Caused to re-enter after releasing satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-004 Falcon 9 Block 5 (Twilight)
Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2026 Jan 11, 13:44 | |
in space
|
| Small satellite from Capella Space Corp, equipped with an Earth imaging system. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:06 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite from Capella Space Corp, equipped with an Earth imaging system. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:08 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
Small satellite from Kepler Communications of Canada equipped with laser communication equipment to form the basis of an on-orbit optically-connected communications cloud for use by other satellites. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:15 UTC.
One of ten Aether satellites carried on the Twilight mission, all were inserted into similar orbits. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| 3U Cubesat from German company DCubed. Demonstrator/precursor for a later mission that will manufacture al tower structure in orbit. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:05 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat from PennState University. Carries a gamma ray telescope to monitor the sky in search od high-redshift gamma-ray bursts. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:04 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| Earth observation satellite using radar imaging. Its radar aerial is a demonstrator of a stowable dish. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:53 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Connecta IoT-13 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat providing comms link for internet connected installations on the ground. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:46 UTC.6U Cubesat from Turkish company for a constellation of Earth observation satellites.6U Cubesat from Turkish company Plan S. Part of an internet communications constellation. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Connecta IoT-14 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat from Turkish company for a constellation of Earth observation satellites.6U Cubesat from Turkish company Plan S. Part of an internet communications constellation. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Connecta IoT-15 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat providing comms link for internet connected installations on the ground. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:48 UTC.6U Cubesat from Turkish company for a constellation of Earth observation satellites.6U Cubesat from Turkish company Plan S. Part of an internet communications constellation. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Connecta IoT-16 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat from Turkish company for a constellation of Earth observation satellites.6U Cubesat from Turkish company Plan S. Part of an internet communications constellation. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite from US company Enduro. Mission unclear but may be a demonstrator of a system to observe other satellites in orbit. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:51 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Hawk 13A (Cluster 13#1) 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| SIGINT (signals intelligence) satellite from Hawkeye 360 to map radio transmissions worldwide. This is a private programme where SIGINT is usually a military/government activity. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:49 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Hawk 13B (Cluster 13#2) 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| SIGINT (signals intelligence) satellite from Hawkeye 360 to map radio transmissions worldwide. This is a private programme where SIGINT is usually a military/government activity. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:46 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Hawk 13C (Cluster 13#3) 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| SIGINT (signals intelligence) satellite from Hawkeye 360 to map radio transmissions worldwide. This is a private programme where SIGINT is usually a military/government activity. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:52 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| 8U Cubesat from AISTech. Earth observation satellite equipped with a thermal imager to measure surface temperature in areas under observation. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:46 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite fitted with a synthetic aperture radar for Earth surface imaging. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:07 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite fitted with a synthetic aperture radar for Earth surface imaging. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:09 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Lemur 2 (Kutar) 2026-004xx |
in space
|
3U Cubesat - equipped with a receiver for AIS (Automatic Information System) for tracking ships at sea, and a receiver that uses occultation measurements of GPS satellite signals to measure temperature, pressure and humidity profiles in the Earth's atmosphere for weather forecasting. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:46 UTC.
One of nine Lemur-2 satellites carried on the Twilight mission, all were placed in similar orbits. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite from NASA equipped with a spectroscope to study planets in orbit around distant stars. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:12 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | SPARCS (Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat) 2026-004xx |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat equipped with a telescope to monitor flares and sunspots on a number of red dwarf stars. Launched as part of NASA's cubesat initiative. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:05 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat from US company Tomorrow.io, designed to measure temperature and humidity profiles within the Earth's atmosphere. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:48 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| 6U Cubesat from US company Tomorrow.io, designed to measure temperature and humidity profiles within the Earth's atmosphere. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:47 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite from US company UMBRA, equipped with a radar imaging system for commercial Earth observation. Separated from launch vehicle at 16:06 UTC. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
in space
|
| Launched satellites of the SpaceX "Twilight" rideshare mission. Caused to re-enter above the central Pacific Ocean shortly before 17:00 UTC, after releasing the satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-F01 - failed to reach orbit PSLV-DL (PSLV C-62)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre | 2026 Jan 12, 04:48 | |
|
| Largest satellite was Theos 2, a joint UK/Thailand Earth observation mission, accompanied by 15 smaller satellites. All were lost when the launch vehicle third stage developed a fault shortly before the end of its firing. |
|
2026-005 Falcon 9 Block 5 (Starlink Group 06-097)
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | 2026 Jan 13, 00:08 | |
in space
|
One member of a simultaneously-launched cluster of twenty nine broadband and mobile telephone communications satellites from SpaceX aimed ultimately at 550 km altitude. Separated from launch vehicle at 01:13 UTC.
All satellites expected to be injected initially into similar orbits at about 300 km altitude. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
Re-entered - 2026 Jan 13
Life <1 day
|
| Launched Starlink Group 06-097. Caused to re-enter after releasing satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-006 CZ 6A
Taiyuan Space Centre | 2026 Jan 13, 14:16 | Yaogan 50-01 2026-006A 67433 |
in space
|
| Government or military Earth observation satellite in highly retrograde orbit. Possibly using radar imaging. The first orbit listed should be treated with caution, it may have been issued in error by Space-Track. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 14, 10:09 | 7201 | 0.0168 | 702 | 944 | 101.36 | 142.00 | 113 | | | | 2026 Jan 14, 23:38 | 7197 | 0.0165 | 700 | 938 | 101.28 | 142.00 | 116 | | | | CZ 6A third stage 2026-006B 67434 |
in space
|
| Launched Yaogan 50. Orbit information should be treated with caution. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 13, 17:12 | 7064 | 0.0202 | 543 | 828 | 98.48 | 142.04 | 82 | | | |
2026-007 CZ 8A
Wenchang Space Centre - Hainan Commercial Zone | 2026 Jan 13, 15:25 | Hulianwang Digui 18-01 (Satellite Low Orbit Internet Group 18-01) 2026-007A 67435 |
in space
|
Internet communication satellite. Designed to fly in relatively-low orbit as part of a large constellation.
One of nine similar satellites carried on this launch. All were placed in similar orbits. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 16, 09:58 | 7299 | 0.0008 | 915 | 927 | 103.44 | 50.01 | 280 | | | | |
in space
|
| Launched Hulianwang Digui group 18. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 15, 04:09 | 7225 | 0.0092 | 781 | 914 | 101.87 | 50.01 | 88 | | | |
2026-008 Falcon 9 Block 5 (Starlink Group 06-098)
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | 2026 Jan 14, 18:08 | Starlink 36542 2026-008A 67445 |
in space
|
One member of a simultaneously-launched cluster of twenty nine broadband and mobile telephone communications satellites from SpaceX aimed ultimately at 550 km altitude. Separated from launch vehicle at 14:14 UTC.
All satellites expected to be injected initially into similar orbits at about 300 km altitude. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 21, 14:00 | 6657 | 0.0002 | 278 | 280 | 90.10 | 43.00 | 290 | | | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
Re-entered - 2026 Jan 14
Life <1 day
|
| Launched Starlink Group 06-098. Caused to re-enter after releasing satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-009 CZ 2C
Jiuquan Space Centre | 2026 Jan 15, 04:01 | AlSat 3A (Algeria Satellite 3A) 2026-009A 67474 |
in space
|
| Optical Earth imaging satellite, built by China for Algeria. On January 22 controllers used a thruster for a very minor tweak to the orbital inclination in order to ensure the orbit is sun-synchronous. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | Desc Node
Local Time | |
| 2026 Jan 16, 22:03 | 6874 | 0.0011 | 488 | 503 | 94.53 | 97.47 | 262 | 10:21 | | | CZ 2C second stage 2026-009B 67475 |
in space
|
| Launched AlSat 3A. Orbital apogee raised after releasing the satellite - it may have occurred in error. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 16, 22:37 | 6936 | 0.0099 | 489 | 627 | 95.82 | 97.18 | 217 | | | |
2026-010 Ceres 1S (Gushenxing 1 Y-7)
Towed barge, Yellow Sea - near 36° N, 119°.5 E | 2026 Jan 15, 20:10 | |
in space
|
| Small satellite providing messaging communication links from LEO including between Internet-connected items. Part of the planned 38 satellite Guodian Gaoke constellation. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 20, 23:25 | 7223 | 0.0011 | 837 | 853 | 101.82 | 44.98 | 331 | | | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite providing messaging communication links from LEO including between Internet-connected items. Part of the planned 38 satellite Guodian Gaoke constellation. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 20, 23:24 | 7222 | 0.0011 | 836 | 852 | 101.81 | 44.98 | 334 | | | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite providing messaging communication links from LEO including between Internet-connected items. Part of the planned 38 satellite Guodian Gaoke constellation. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 20, 23:23 | 7222 | 0.0011 | 836 | 852 | 101.80 | 44.98 | 338 | | | | |
in space
|
| Small satellite providing messaging communication links from LEO including between Internet-connected items. Part of the planned 38 satellite Guodian Gaoke constellation. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 20, 23:23 | 7222 | 0.0012 | 835 | 853 | 101.80 | 44.98 | 334 | | | | Ceres 1S fourth stage uncatalogued |
in space
|
| Launched cluster of four Tianqi satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-F02 - failed to reach orbit CZ 3B
Xichang Space Centre | 2026 Jan 16, 16:55 | |
|
| Chinese government/military satellite intended for GEO. Lost when the launch vehicle third stage failed to complete its firing. |
|
2026-F03 - failed to reach orbit Ceres 2 (Gushenxing 2 Y-1)
Jiuquan Space Centre | 2026 Jan 17, 04:08 | |
|
| Cluster of (about six?) satellites lost when launch vehicle failed on first flight of new version. |
|
2026-011 Falcon 9 Block 5 (NRO L-105
)
Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2026 Jan 17, 04:39 | |
in space
|
| One of a pair (or more) of US government NRO intelligence gathering satellites. Precise mission and Catalogue Number to be confirmed. Orbit information based on amateur observation. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 20, 18:02 | 6839 | 0.0020 | 447 | 474 | 93.80 | 69.99 | 245 | | | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
Re-entered - 2026 Jan 17
Life <1 day
|
| Launched NRO L-105 mission. Caused to re-enter about two hours after liftoff, after releasing satellites. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | |
2026-012 Falcon 9 Block 5 (Starlink Group 06-100)
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station | 2026 Jan 18, 23:31 | |
in space
|
One member of a simultaneously-launched cluster of twenty nine broadband and mobile telephone communications satellites from SpaceX aimed ultimately at 550 km altitude.
All satellites expected to be injected initially into similar orbits at about 300 km altitude. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
Re-entered - 2026 Jan 19
Life 1 day
|
| Launched Starlink Group 06-100. Caused to re-enter after releasing satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-013 CZ 12
Wenchang Space Centre - Hainan Commercial Zone | 2026 Jan 19, 07:48 | Hulianwang Digui 19-01 (Satellite Low Orbit Internet Group 19-01) 2026-013A 67522 |
in space
|
Internet communication satellite. Designed to fly in relatively-low orbit as part of a large constellation.
One of nine similar satellites carried on this launch. All were placed in similar orbits. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 20, 12:18 | 7279 | 0.0011 | 893 | 909 | 103.01 | 50.01 | 239 | | | | CZ 12 second stage 2026-013K 67531 |
in space
|
| Launched Hulianwang Digui group 19. |
epoch (UTC) | s-m axis
( km ) |
eccentricity | perigee
( km ) | apogee
( km ) | period
( min ) | incl
( ° ) | ω
( ° ) | | |
| 2026 Jan 20, 22:10 | 7222 | 0.0069 | 794 | 894 | 101.81 | 49.99 | 134 | | | |
2026-014 Falcon 9 Block 5 (Starlink Group 17-030)
Vandenberg Space Force Base | 2026 Jan 22, 05:47 | |
in space
|
One member of a simultaneously-launched cluster of twenty five broadband and mobile telephone communications satellites from SpaceX aimed ultimately at 550 km altitude. Separated from launch vehicle at 06:49 UTC.
All satellites expected to be injected initially into similar orbits at about 300 km altitude. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Falcon 9 second stage uncatalogued |
in space
|
| Launched Starlink Group 17-030. Caused to re-enter after releasing satellites. |
| Not Catalogued - orbit parameters unavailable | |
2026-015 Electron (The Cosmos Will See You Now)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex, New Zealand | 2026 Jan 22, 10:52 | |
in space
|
| 12 Cubesat - one of a pair of simultaneously launched satellites from UK company Open Cosmos. Probable demonstrator for an unidentified planned internet broadband communications constellation and also acting as a radio frequency 'placeholder'. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | |
in space
|
| 12 Cubesat - one of a pair of simultaneously launched satellites from UK company Open Cosmos. Probable demonstrator for an unidentified planned internet broadband communications constellation and also acting as a radio frequency 'placeholder'. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Electron second stage 2026-015xx |
in space
|
| Launched two satelites for Open Cosmos. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | | Electron third stage (kick stage) 2026-015xx |
in space
|
| Launched two satelites for Open Cosmos. |
| Orbit parameters awaited | |
|
|
