ESRO 2B

Re-entered 8 May 1971

ESRO 2B (NORAD 3233, COSPAR 1968-041A) was a I-ESRO satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 8 May 1971, launched on 17 May 1968 on the ESRO 2B mission. It was operated by ESTEC as part of the ESRO programme. The spacecraft was built by HSD on the ESRO 2 bus, with a mass of 74 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

1971

re-entered

years on orbit

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched17 May 1968 · on the ESRO 2B mission

Operational1 May 1971 · entered service

Retired1 May 1971 · end of operational service

Re-entered8 May 1971 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID3233

COSPAR1968-041A

TypeSatellite

OperatorESTEC

Country / StateI-ESRO

ManufacturerHSD

BusESRO 2

Mass74 kg

ProgrammeESRO

CategorySCI

OrbitLEO (LEO/S)

Altitude329 × 1,075 km

Inclination97.2°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to ESRO 2B?

ESRO 2B re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 8 May 1971, 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 ESRO 2B re-enter the atmosphere?

ESRO 2B re-entered on 8 May 1971, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built ESRO 2B?

ESRO 2B was operated by ESTEC and built by HSD (I-ESRO).

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: ESRO 2B → What is space debris? →