# 6Q0B44E

> object in high Earth orbit

**Wikidata**: [Q649587](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q649587)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6Q0B44E)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/6q0b44e

## Summary
6Q0B44E is a defunct artificial object classified as space debris, originally discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey on June 28, 2006. It orbits the Sun with an orbital period of approximately 1.01 years and is characterized by a high Earth orbit designation and an absolute magnitude of 30.5.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Instance of space debris (defunct artificial object).
- **Discovery**: Discovered on June 28, 2006, by the Catalina Sky Survey.
- **Designation**: Provisional designation 6Q0B44E; also known by the alias B44E.
- **Orbital Parent**: Orbits the Sun (parent astronomical body).
- **Orbital Period**: 1.01 years.
- **Orbital Shape**: Semi-major axis of 1.0088796 AU, eccentricity of 0.0310237.
- **Orbital Planes**: Orbital inclination of 0.35551 degrees; longitude of ascending node is 58.55566 degrees.
- **Specific Positions**: Apoapsis of 1.0401787 AU; periapsis of 0.9775804 AU.
- **Angular Parameters**: Argument of periapsis is 23.26373 degrees; mean anomaly is 308.134 degrees.
- **Physical Property**: Absolute magnitude of 30.5.
- **Identifiers**: Freebase ID /m/0gtry3; Wikidata description "object in high Earth orbit."
- **Global Presence**: Recorded in 10 Wikipedia language editions (be, de, el, en, fr, it, ja, ko, pl, ru).

## FAQs
### What is 6Q0B44E?
6Q0B44E is a specific piece of space debris, defined as a non-functional, human-made object in space. It was discovered in 2006 and is tracked as part of the broader population of defunct hardware orbiting the Sun.

### What are the orbital specifications of 6Q0B44E?
The object follows a heliocentric orbit (around the Sun) with a period of 1.01 years. It has a semi-major axis of roughly 1.0089 AU, varying between a periapsis of 0.977 AU and an apoapsis of 1.04 AU.

### Who discovered 6Q0B44E?
The object was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey on June 28, 2006.

### Why is 6Q0B44E considered space debris?
It fits the formal definition of space debris because it is a defunct artificial object. As part of the orbital environment, it represents the remnants of space missions that travel at high velocities and pose potential risks to active spacecraft.

## Why It Matters
6Q0B44E serves as a specific, tracked instance of the broader environmental crisis facing the space age. While a single object with an absolute magnitude of 30.5 (indicating a small size) may seem insignificant, it exists within a population of debris that travels at speeds up to 28,000 km/h. At these velocities, even small fragments pack the energy of an exploding hand grenade, posing lethal threats to astronauts and critical infrastructure.

The tracking of objects like 6Q0B44E is essential for maintaining the safety of the global space industry, which generates over US $400 billion annually. Space debris endangers the satellites that underpin GPS, weather forecasting, and global communications. The presence of such objects drives the need for rigorous mitigation rules and avoidance maneuvers; without effective management, the risk of cascading collisions (Kessler syndrome) could render orbital regions unusable for future generations.

## Notable For
- **Heliocentric Debris**: Unlike much debris that orbits Earth (geocentric), 6Q0B44E orbits the Sun, classifying it as a distinct type of distant space refuse.
- **Detection Difficulty**: With an absolute magnitude of 30.5, it represents the capability of surveys like Catalina to detect extremely dim, non-reflective objects.
- **Global Cataloging**: It is recorded across 10 different language Wikipedias, reflecting international interest in orbital tracking.

## Body
### Classification and Definition
6Q0B44E is formally classified as an instance of **space debris**. In the context of orbital mechanics, this defines it as a defunct artificial object or a collection of such objects that no longer serve a functional purpose. Space debris encompasses a wide range of items, including spent rocket stages, broken satellites, fragmentation debris from antisatellite tests, and mission-related objects like lens caps or dropped tools.

6Q0B44E is specifically described as an "object in high Earth orbit," yet its structured data indicates its **parent astronomical body** is the Sun. This suggests it is in a heliocentric orbit, likely a discarded component from a mission that achieved escape velocity or a highly elliptical orbit extending far from Earth.

### Discovery and Identification
- **Discoverer**: Catalina Sky Survey
- **Date of Discovery**: June 28, 2006
- **Provisional Designation**: 6Q0B44E
- **Aliases**: B44E

The object was cataloged with a specific **Freebase ID** (/m/0gtry3) and has a **sitelink count** of 10, appearing in Wikipedia entries across Belarusian, German, Greek, English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Russian.

### Orbital Characteristics
6Q0B44E orbits the Sun along a path defined by the following parameters:
- **Semi-major Axis**: 1.0088796 AU
- **Orbital Period**: 1.01 years
- **Eccentricity**: 0.0310237 (indicating a nearly circular path)
- **Inclination**: 0.35551 degrees (relative to the ecliptic)
- **Apoapsis**: 1.0401787 AU (furthest point from the Sun)
- **Periapsis**: 0.9775804 AU (closest point to the Sun)

The object's orientation in space is fixed by its **longitude of ascending node** (58.55566 degrees) and **argument of periapsis** (23.26373 degrees). At the time of its data snapshot, its **mean anomaly** was recorded as 308.134 degrees.

### Context: The Space Debris Environment
As a piece of space debris, 6Q0B44E is part of a larger population managed and tracked by global networks like the U.S. Space Surveillance Network. The broader context of debris includes:
- **Sources**: Abandoned rocket bodies (~1,400 remain in orbit), satellite breakups (over 250 recorded explosions), and fragmentation from collisions.
- **Mitigation**: Modern guidelines (UN COPUOS, ISO-24113) recommend passivation (venting propellants) and post-mission disposal within 5–25 years to prevent explosions and collisions.
- **Tracking**: Objects are cataloged if their radar cross-section exceeds ~10 cm in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Spectroscopic surveys are used to distinguish artificial objects like 6Q0B44E from natural asteroids.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013