Kometa No. 13L

Re-entered 1 Apr 1991

Kometa No. 13L (NORAD 21116, COSPAR 1991-011A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Apr 1991, launched on 15 Feb 1991 on the Kometa No. 13 mission. It was operated by VTSR as part of the Kometa programme. The spacecraft was built by TSSKB on the Yantar'-1KFT bus, with a mass of 2,720 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.

1991

launched

1991

re-entered

years on orbit

2,720

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched15 Feb 1991 · on the Kometa No. 13 mission

Operational1 Apr 1991 · entered service

Retired1 Apr 1991 · end of operational service

Re-entered1 Apr 1991 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID21116

COSPAR1991-011A

TypeSatellite

OperatorVTSR

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerTSSKB

BusYantar'-1KFT

Mass2,720 kg

ProgrammeKometa

CategoryIMG

OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)

Altitude211 × 260 km

Inclination64.7°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Kometa No. 13L?

Kometa No. 13L re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Apr 1991, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1991. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Kometa No. 13L re-enter the atmosphere?

Kometa No. 13L re-entered on 1 Apr 1991, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Kometa No. 13L?

Kometa No. 13L was operated by VTSR and built by TSSKB (SU).

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

Browse the live satellite directory → Re-entered satellites archive → Launch record: Kometa No. 13 → What is space debris? →