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AEHF-2 (USA 235) — Live Satellite Tracking (NORAD 38254)
Track AEHF-2 (USA 235) (NORAD catalog number 38254) 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 2012, launched on the 19th orbital launch of that year (COSPAR designation 2012-019A).
Moving at about 3.08 km/s, AEHF-2 (USA 235) flies a geosynchronous orbit roughly 35,786 km up: its 23.9-hour period matches Earth's rotation, but at 6.8° inclination it is not geostationary — seen from the ground it traces a daily figure-eight around a fixed longitude, swinging about 7° north and south of the equator. The orbit is essentially circular (eccentricity 0.0002). Its near-equatorial 6.8° inclination keeps it above the tropics at all times. Its orbital plane crosses the equator northbound at right ascension 56.8°.
Orbital elements
| Orbit regime | geostationary/geosynchronous orbit (GEO) |
|---|---|
| Perigee × apogee altitude | ~35,783 km × 35,804 km |
| Inclination | 6.84° |
| Orbital period | 1436.1 min (1.00 rev/day) |
| Eccentricity | 0.00024 |
| Element set epoch | 2026-09-07 |
| COSPAR designation | 2012-019A |
| NORAD catalog number | 38254 |
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
AEHF-2 (USA 235) 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 AEHF-2 (USA 235) from the ground?
Not with the naked eye. At its altitude AEHF-2 (USA 235) 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 AEHF-2 (USA 235) in the Other Active Satellites group — usually craft from the same or adjacent launches:
- YAOGAN-14 (NORAD 38257)
- YAHSAT 1B (NORAD 38245)
- JCSAT-13 (NORAD 38331)
- VINASAT-2 (NORAD 38332)
- GCOM-W1 (SHIZUKU) (NORAD 38337)
- ARIRANG-3 (KOMPSAT-3) (NORAD 38338)
Browse the Other Active Satellites directory or the full satellite directory · What is a TLE? · WatchSat live globe