Without a telescope
Yes, under a dark skyOn a good pass it is a faint star to the naked eye: magnitude +3.4 at its best. City lights hide it.
Satellites›Brightest satellites›ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610)
ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610)
ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610) is a spent rocket stage from France, launched on July 17, 1991 from Kourou, French Guiana. It is in a low orbit, 749 km above the ground, and goes around the Earth every 99.8 minutes: 14.4 times a day, at 7.48 km/s (26,900 km/h). The orbit is sun-synchronous: it crosses every place at about the same local time of day.
Where ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610) is right now
The gold ring is its orbit, and the line drops to the point on the ground under it. Inside the white circle it is above the horizon. Drag the globe to turn it, pinch or use the buttons to come closer; the target button brings you back to the satellite. The 2D map shows its path over the ground for the next lap: gold where it is in sunlight, dashed where it is in Earth’s shadow.
Finding ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610)…
ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610)
Finding ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610)…
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Can you see it?
From where
Its orbit crosses close to both poles, so sooner or later it passes over every place on Earth.
A satellite shows only when your sky is dark and it is still in sunlight: in the hours after dusk and before dawn.
When it passes over you
The app works out its passes over your exact location, alerts you before one, and leads you to it with an arrow in the camera view.
The facts
- Catalogue number (NORAD)
- 21610
- International designator
- 1991-050F
- Name in the catalogue
- ARIANE 40 R/B
- Type
- Spent rocket stage
- Belongs to
- France
- Launched
- July 17, 1991
- Launched from
- Kourou, French Guiana
- Orbit
- Low Earth orbit, sun-synchronous
- Lowest point
- 746 km
- Highest point
- 751 km
- Tilt to the equator
- 98.2°
- One lap
- 99.8 minutes
- Laps a day
- 14.43
- Speed
- 7.48 km/s
- At its brightest
- mag +3.4 estimated, overhead
- Standard brightness
- mag +4.0 from 1,000 km, half lit
- Size on radar
- 14 m²
Orbit measured November 12, 2026, from CelesTrak. Heights are above the ground at the equator. Page updated November 14, 2026.
Quick answers
Where is ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610) right now?
The map on this page shows where ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610) is at this moment, the path it will follow over the ground for the next lap, and the part of the Earth it is above the horizon for. It is worked out from the latest tracking data.
How high is ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610)?
About 749 km above the ground.
How fast does ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610) go?
About 7.48 km/s, which is 26,900 km/h. One lap of the Earth takes it 99.8 minutes, so it goes around 14.4 times a day.
Can you see ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610) without a telescope?
Yes, under a dark sky. On a good pass it is a faint star to the naked eye: magnitude +3.4 at its best. City lights hide it.
When was ARIANE 40 rocket body (21610) launched?
On July 17, 1991, from Kourou, French Guiana.
With the app
Knowing where it is over the Earth is one thing. The app shows you where it is in your sky.
This page follows the satellite around the planet. The app works out when it passes over you, and leads you to it.
- Every pass over your exact location, for this satellite and 10,000+ more.
- An alert before it rises, so you are outside in time.
- An arrow in the camera view that leads you to the exact spot in the sky.
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