Kosmos-1139

Re-entered 18 Oct 1979

Kosmos-1139 (NORAD 11564, COSPAR 1979-088A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 18 Oct 1979, launched on 5 Oct 1979 on the Orion mission. It is catalogued as Orion No. 16L. It was operated by VTS SA as part of the Orion programme. The spacecraft was built by TSSKB on the Zenit-4MT bus, with a mass of 2,200 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.

1979

launched

1979

re-entered

years on orbit

2,200

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched5 Oct 1979 · on the Orion mission

Operational18 Oct 1979 · entered service

Retired18 Oct 1979 · end of operational service

Re-entered18 Oct 1979 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID11564

COSPAR1979-088A

TypeSatellite

OperatorVTS SA

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerTSSKB

BusZenit-4MT

Mass2,200 kg

ProgrammeOrion

CategoryIMG

OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)

Altitude200 × 329 km

Inclination72.9°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Kosmos-1139?

Kosmos-1139 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 18 Oct 1979, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1979. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Kosmos-1139 re-enter the atmosphere?

Kosmos-1139 re-entered on 18 Oct 1979, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Kosmos-1139?

Kosmos-1139 was operated by VTS SA and built by TSSKB (SU).

Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-10-05.

Browse the live satellite directory → Re-entered satellites archive → Launch record: Orion → What is space debris? →