Gran' No. 44L

Re-entered 6 May 2004

Gran' No. 44L (NORAD 23794, COSPAR 1996-010A) was a RU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 6 May 2004, launched on 19 Feb 1996 on the Gran' No. 44L mission. It was operated by VKS as part of the Raduga programme. The spacecraft was built by NPOPMR on the Raduga bus, with a mass of 1,965 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.

1996

launched

2004

re-entered

years on orbit

1,965

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched19 Feb 1996 · on the Gran' No. 44L mission

Operational1 Feb 1996 · entered service

Retired1 Feb 1996 · end of operational service

Re-entered6 May 2004 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID23794

COSPAR1996-010A

TypeSatellite

OperatorVKS

Country / StateRU

ManufacturerNPOPMR

BusRaduga

Mass1,965 kg (1,800 kg dry)

ProgrammeRaduga

CategoryCOM

OrbitHEO (GTO)

Altitude223 × 36,498 km

Inclination48.5°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Gran' No. 44L?

Gran' No. 44L re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 6 May 2004, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1996. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Gran' No. 44L re-enter the atmosphere?

Gran' No. 44L re-entered on 6 May 2004, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Gran' No. 44L?

Gran' No. 44L was operated by VKS and built by NPOPMR (RU).

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: Gran' No. 44L → What is space debris? →