Without a telescope
No brightness estimateWe have no brightness estimate for it, so we cannot say how easy it is to see.
Satellites›Geostationary satellites›USA 271
USA 271
USA 271 is a satellite from the United States, launched on August 19, 2016 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States. It orbits 36,491 km above the ground, far above the low orbits most satellites use, once every 24 h 32 min.
Where USA 271 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 USA 271…
USA 271
Finding USA 271…
- Over
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- Position
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- Height
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- Speed
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- Now
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- Your time
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Can you see it?
From where
It passes straight overhead only between latitudes 5° north and 5° south, and rises above the horizon as far as about 85°. Nearer the poles than that it is never in the sky.
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)
- 41745
- International designator
- 2016-052B
- Type
- Satellite
- Belongs to
- United States
- Launched
- August 19, 2016
- Launched from
- Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States
- Status
- Operational
- Orbit
- High Earth orbit
- Lowest point
- 36,481 km
- Highest point
- 36,500 km
- Tilt to the equator
- 4.5°
- One lap
- 24 h 32 min
- Laps a day
- 0.98
- Speed
- 3.05 km/s
Orbit measured November 2, 2026, from CelesTrak. Heights are above the ground at the equator. Page updated November 14, 2026.
Quick answers
Where is USA 271 right now?
The map on this page shows where USA 271 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 USA 271?
About 36,491 km above the ground.
How fast does USA 271 go?
About 3.05 km/s, which is 11,000 km/h. One lap of the Earth takes it 24 h 32 min, so it goes around 1.0 times a day.
Can you see USA 271 without a telescope?
No brightness estimate. We have no brightness estimate for it, so we cannot say how easy it is to see.
When was USA 271 launched?
On August 19, 2016, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States.
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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