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ESO

Re-entered 15 Jan 1990

ESO (NORAD 20384, COSPAR 1988-065Z) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 15 Jan 1990, launched on 28 Jul 1988 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.

1988
launched
1990
re-entered
2
years on orbit
5
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched28 Jul 1988 · on the Romb mission
Operational20 Dec 1989 · entered service
Retired20 Dec 1989 · end of operational service
Re-entered15 Jan 1990 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID20384
COSPAR1988-065Z
TypeSatellite
OperatorPVO
Country / StateSU
ManufacturerYUZH
BusESO
Mass5 kg
ProgrammeESO
CategoryCAL
OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)
Altitude376 × 390 km
Inclination65.8°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to ESO?

ESO re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 15 Jan 1990, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1988. 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 15 Jan 1990, 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-2V (10)Re-entered 1990ESORe-entered 1990ESORe-entered 1990ESORe-entered 1990ESORe-entered 1990ESORe-entered 1990ESORe-entered 1990ESORe-entered 1989
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.