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FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46) — Live Satellite Tracking (NORAD 20253)
Track FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46) (NORAD catalog number 20253) live on the WatchSat interactive 3D globe above. Its position is propagated in real time from the latest CelesTrak two-line element set using the SGP4/SDP4 orbital model — the same math professional trackers run. It has been on orbit since 1989, launched on the 77th orbital launch of that year (COSPAR designation 1989-077A). As of this element set it had completed roughly 26,138 revolutions of Earth.
Moving at about 3.08 km/s, FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46) flies a geosynchronous orbit roughly 35,786 km up: its 23.9-hour period matches Earth's rotation, but at 12.4° inclination it is not geostationary — seen from the ground it traces a daily figure-eight around a fixed longitude, swinging about 12° north and south of the equator. The orbit is essentially circular (eccentricity 0.0003). Its 12.4° inclination keeps its ground track over the tropics and lower mid-latitudes. Its orbital plane crosses the equator northbound at right ascension 350.7°.
Orbital elements
| Orbit regime | geostationary/geosynchronous orbit (GEO) |
|---|---|
| Perigee × apogee altitude | ~35,781 km × 35,804 km |
| Inclination | 12.40° |
| Orbital period | 1436.0 min (1.00 rev/day) |
| Eccentricity | 0.00027 |
| Element set epoch | 2026-09-06 |
| COSPAR designation | 1989-077A |
| NORAD catalog number | 20253 |
This page's orbital elements come from the CelesTrak catalog of 2026-09-08. The live 3D view above fetches its own current CelesTrak data when the page opens, through an edge cache that refreshes roughly every 30 minutes.
About the Other Active Satellites group
FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46) is one of 4,471 active satellites in WatchSat's general catalog — the broad population of Earth-observation, communications, science, amateur-radio and technology spacecraft outside the giant broadband constellations. Browse all other active satellites live in 3D.
Can you see FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46) from the ground?
Not with the naked eye. At its altitude FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46) is far beyond unaided visibility — following satellites this high takes a telescope and good timing. You can still track it precisely in the live 3D view above, or check pass predictions for your location.
Related satellites
Nearest catalog neighbors of FLTSATCOM 8 (USA 46) in the Other Active Satellites group — usually craft from the same or adjacent launches:
- LUSAT (LO-19) (NORAD 20442)
- COSMOS 2024 (ETALON 2) (NORAD 20026)
- HST (NORAD 20580)
- COSMOS 1989 (ETALON 1) (NORAD 19751)
- TDRS 3 (NORAD 19548)
- TDRS 5 (NORAD 21639)
Browse the Other Active Satellites directory or the full satellite directory · What is a TLE? · WatchSat live globe