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Zenit-4 No. 57L

Re-entered 28 May 1969

Zenit-4 No. 57L (NORAD 3944, COSPAR 1969-044A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 28 May 1969, launched on 20 May 1969 on the Zenit-4 No. 57 mission. It was operated by TSUKOS as part of the Zenit-4 programme. The spacecraft was built by TSKBE3 on the Zenit-4 bus, with a mass of 2,200 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
1969
re-entered
0
years on orbit
2,200
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched20 May 1969 · on the Zenit-4 No. 57 mission
Operational28 May 1969 · entered service
Retired28 May 1969 · end of operational service
Re-entered28 May 1969 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID3944
COSPAR1969-044A
TypeSatellite
OperatorTSUKOS
Country / StateSU
ManufacturerTSKBE3
BusZenit-4
Mass2,200 kg
ProgrammeZenit-4
CategoryIMG
OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)
Altitude201 × 320 km
Inclination65.4°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Zenit-4 No. 57L?

Zenit-4 No. 57L re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 28 May 1969, 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 Zenit-4 No. 57L re-enter the atmosphere?

Zenit-4 No. 57L re-entered on 28 May 1969, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Zenit-4 No. 57L?

Zenit-4 No. 57L was operated by TSUKOS and built by TSKBE3 (SU).

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