Kosmos-230

Re-entered 2 Nov 1968

Kosmos-230 (NORAD 3308, COSPAR 1968-056A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 2 Nov 1968, launched on 5 Jul 1968 on the DS-U3-S No. 2 mission. It is catalogued as DS-U3-S No. 2. It was operated by Southern SDB as part of the DS-U3-S programme. The spacecraft was built by YUZH on the DS-U3 bus, with a mass of 285 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

1968

re-entered

years on orbit

285

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched5 Jul 1968 · on the DS-U3-S No. 2 mission

Operational2 Nov 1968 · entered service

Retired2 Nov 1968 · end of operational service

Re-entered2 Nov 1968 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID3308

COSPAR1968-056A

TypeSatellite

OperatorSouthern SDB

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerYUZH

BusDS-U3

Mass285 kg

ProgrammeDS-U3-S

CategoryAST

OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)

Altitude278 × 518 km

Inclination48.4°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Kosmos-230?

Kosmos-230 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 2 Nov 1968, 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 Kosmos-230 re-enter the atmosphere?

Kosmos-230 re-entered on 2 Nov 1968, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Kosmos-230?

Kosmos-230 was operated by Southern SDB and built by YUZH (SU).

Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-10-05.

Browse the live satellite directory → Re-entered satellites archive → Launch record: DS-U3-S No. 2 → What is space debris? →