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🛰️ SATELLITE · HISTORICAL RECORD

Meteor No. 9L

Re-entered 22 Apr 1989

Meteor No. 9L (NORAD 3150, COSPAR 1968-019A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 22 Apr 1989, launched on 14 Mar 1968 on the Meteor 11F614 No. 9 mission. It was operated by VNIEM as part of the Meteor B programme. The spacecraft was built by VNIEM on the Meteor bus, with a mass of 1,280 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.

1968
launched
1989
re-entered
21
years on orbit
1,280
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched14 Mar 1968 · on the Meteor 11F614 No. 9 mission
Operational5 May 1968 · entered service
Retired5 May 1968 · end of operational service
Re-entered22 Apr 1989 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID3150
COSPAR1968-019A
TypeSatellite
OperatorVNIEM
Country / StateSU
ManufacturerVNIEM
BusMeteor
Mass1,280 kg
ProgrammeMeteor B
CategoryMET
OrbitLEO (LEO/I)
Altitude599 × 633 km
Inclination81.2°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Meteor No. 9L?

Meteor No. 9L re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 22 Apr 1989, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1968. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Meteor No. 9L re-enter the atmosphere?

Meteor No. 9L re-entered on 22 Apr 1989, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Meteor No. 9L?

Meteor No. 9L was operated by VNIEM and built by VNIEM (SU).

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