Bion No. 11

Re-entered 7 Jan 1997

Bion No. 11 (NORAD 24701, COSPAR 1996-073A) was a RU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 7 Jan 1997, launched on 24 Dec 1996 on the Bion No. 11 mission. It was operated by IMBP / TSSKBP as part of the Bion programme. The spacecraft was built by TSSKBP on the Bion bus, with a mass of 2,040 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

1997

re-entered

year on orbit

2,040

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched24 Dec 1996 · on the Bion No. 11 mission

Operational7 Jan 1997 · entered service

Retired7 Jan 1997 · end of operational service

Re-entered7 Jan 1997 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID24701

COSPAR1996-073A

TypeSatellite

OperatorIMBP / TSSKBP

Country / StateRU

ManufacturerTSSKBP

BusBion

Mass2,040 kg

ProgrammeBion

CategoryBIO

OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)

Altitude217 × 378 km

Inclination62.8°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Bion No. 11?

Bion No. 11 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 7 Jan 1997, 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 Bion No. 11 re-enter the atmosphere?

Bion No. 11 re-entered on 7 Jan 1997, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Bion No. 11?

Bion No. 11 was operated by IMBP / TSSKBP and built by TSSKBP (RU).

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

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