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ESO

Re-entered 25 Mar 1986

ESO (NORAD 15865, COSPAR 1983-101AB) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 25 Mar 1986, launched on 30 Sep 1983 on the Romb mission. It was operated by PVO as part of the ESO programme. The spacecraft was built by YUZH on the ESO bus, with a mass of 5 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.

1983
launched
1986
re-entered
3
years on orbit
5
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched30 Sep 1983 · on the Romb mission
Operational26 Jun 1985 · entered service
Retired26 Jun 1985 · end of operational service
Re-entered25 Mar 1986 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID15865
COSPAR1983-101AB
TypeSatellite
OperatorPVO
Country / StateSU
ManufacturerYUZH
BusESO
Mass5 kg
ProgrammeESO
CategoryCAL
OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)
Altitude458 × 492 km
Inclination83.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to ESO?

ESO re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 25 Mar 1986, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1983. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did ESO re-enter the atmosphere?

ESO re-entered on 25 Mar 1986, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built ESO?

ESO was operated by PVO and built by YUZH (SU).

Launched together

Taifun-2B (05)Re-entered 1989ESORe-entered 1986ESORe-entered 1984ESORe-entered 1984ESORe-entered 1984ESORe-entered 1984ESORe-entered 1985ESORe-entered 1985
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.