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USA 153 — Live Satellite Tracking (NORAD 26575)
Track USA 153 (NORAD catalog number 26575) 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 2000, launched on the 65th orbital launch of that year (COSPAR designation 2000-065A).
Moving at about 3.08 km/s, USA 153 flies a geosynchronous orbit roughly 35,786 km up: its 23.9-hour period matches Earth's rotation, but at 11.8° 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 0.0002). Its 11.8° inclination keeps its ground track over the tropics and lower mid-latitudes. Its orbital plane crosses the equator northbound at right ascension 34.7°.
Orbital elements
| Orbit regime | geostationary/geosynchronous orbit (GEO) |
|---|---|
| Perigee × apogee altitude | ~35,787 km × 35,801 km |
| Inclination | 11.76° |
| Orbital period | 1436.1 min (1.00 rev/day) |
| Eccentricity | 0.00017 |
| Element set epoch | 2026-09-07 |
| COSPAR designation | 2000-065A |
| NORAD catalog number | 26575 |
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
USA 153 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 USA 153 from the ground?
Not with the naked eye. At its altitude USA 153 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 USA 153 in the Other Active Satellites group — usually craft from the same or adjacent launches:
- AMC-6 (NORAD 26580)
- NSS-11 (NORAD 26554)
- USA 157 (MILSTAR-2 2) (NORAD 26715)
- BSAT-2A (NORAD 26720)
- TDRS 8 (NORAD 26388)
- USA 149 (DSP 20) (NORAD 26356)
Browse the Other Active Satellites directory or the full satellite directory · What is a TLE? · WatchSat live globe