Without a telescope
YesOn a good pass it is about as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper: magnitude +2.2 at its best. It can be seen even from a town.
Satellites›Brightest satellites›CZ-2D rocket body
CZ-2D rocket body
CZ-2D rocket body is a spent rocket stage from China, launched on July 5, 2005 from Jiuquan, China. It is in a low orbit, 280 to 285 km above the ground, and goes around the Earth every 90.2 minutes: 16.0 times a day, at 7.74 km/s (27,900 km/h).
Where CZ-2D rocket body 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 CZ-2D rocket body…
CZ-2D rocket body
Finding CZ-2D rocket body…
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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)
- 28738
- International designator
- 2005-024B
- Name in the catalogue
- CZ-2D R/B
- Type
- Spent rocket stage
- Belongs to
- China
- Launched
- July 5, 2005
- Launched from
- Jiuquan, China
- Orbit
- Low Earth orbit
- Lowest point
- 280 km
- Highest point
- 285 km
- Tilt to the equator
- 97.3°
- One lap
- 90.2 minutes
- Laps a day
- 15.97
- Speed
- 7.74 km/s
- At its brightest
- mag +2.2 estimated, overhead
- Standard brightness
- mag +5.0 from 1,000 km, half lit
- Size on radar
- 12 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 CZ-2D rocket body right now?
The map on this page shows where CZ-2D rocket body 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 CZ-2D rocket body?
Between 280 km at its lowest and 285 km at its highest, above the ground.
How fast does CZ-2D rocket body go?
About 7.74 km/s, which is 27,900 km/h. One lap of the Earth takes it 90.2 minutes, so it goes around 16.0 times a day.
Can you see CZ-2D rocket body without a telescope?
Yes. On a good pass it is about as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper: magnitude +2.2 at its best. It can be seen even from a town.
When was CZ-2D rocket body launched?
On July 5, 2005, from Jiuquan, China.
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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