SO-M No. 506

Re-entered 22 Sep 1977

SO-M No. 506 (NORAD 10370, COSPAR 1977-093A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 22 Sep 1977, launched on 22 Sep 1977 on the SO-M No. 506 mission. It was operated by IKI / BABTS as part of the SO-M programme. The spacecraft was built by NPOL on the SO-M bus, with a mass of 910 kg. Like most satellites in low orbits, it was gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until re-entry. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

1977

launched

1977

re-entered

years on orbit

910

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched22 Sep 1977 · on the SO-M No. 506 mission

Operational26 Jan 1978 · entered service

Retired26 Jan 1978 · end of operational service

Re-entered22 Sep 1977 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID10370

COSPAR1977-093A

TypeSatellite

OperatorIKI / BABTS

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerNPOL

BusSO-M

Mass910 kg

ProgrammeSO-M

CategoryAST

OrbitLEO (DSO)

Altitude1,850 × 196,379 km

Inclination74.4°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to SO-M No. 506?

SO-M No. 506 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 22 Sep 1977, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1977. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did SO-M No. 506 re-enter the atmosphere?

SO-M No. 506 re-entered on 22 Sep 1977, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built SO-M No. 506?

SO-M No. 506 was operated by IKI / BABTS and built by NPOL (SU).

Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.

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