Meteor (M) No. 12L

Re-entered 26 Mar 2012

Meteor (M) No. 12L (NORAD 3835, COSPAR 1969-029A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 26 Mar 2012, launched on 26 Mar 1969 on the Meteor 11F614M No. 12 mission. It was operated by TSUKOS / GMS as part of the Meteor C 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.

1969

launched

2012

re-entered

years on orbit

1,280

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched26 Mar 1969 · on the Meteor 11F614M No. 12 mission

Operational26 Mar 1970 · entered service

Retired26 Mar 1970 · end of operational service

Re-entered26 Mar 2012 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID3835

COSPAR1969-029A

TypeSatellite

OperatorTSUKOS / GMS

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerVNIEM

BusMeteor

Mass1,280 kg

ProgrammeMeteor C

CategoryMET

OrbitLEO (LEO/I)

Altitude633 × 680 km

Inclination81.2°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Meteor (M) No. 12L?

Meteor (M) No. 12L re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 26 Mar 2012, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1969. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Meteor (M) No. 12L re-enter the atmosphere?

Meteor (M) No. 12L re-entered on 26 Mar 2012, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Meteor (M) No. 12L?

Meteor (M) No. 12L was operated by TSUKOS / GMS and built by VNIEM (SU).

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: Meteor 11F614M No. 12 → What is space debris? →