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[NRO Unk Smallsat 7]

Re-entered 1 Jan 2026

[NRO Unk Smallsat 7] (NORAD 45875, COSPAR 2020-046C) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jan 2026, launched on 15 Jul 2020 on the NROL-129 mission. It was operated by NROC as part of the NRO TS programme. The spacecraft was built by BALL? on the BCP-2000? bus, with a mass of 250 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.

2020
launched
2026
re-entered
6
years on orbit
250
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched15 Jul 2020 · on the NROL-129 mission
Operational1 Jan 2026 · entered service
Retired1 Jan 2026 · end of operational service
Re-entered1 Jan 2026 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID45875
COSPAR2020-046C
TypeSatellite
OperatorNROC
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerBALL?
BusBCP-2000?
Mass250 kg (200 kg dry)
ProgrammeNRO TS
CategorySIG?*
OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)
Altitude572 × 579 km
Inclination54.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to [NRO Unk Smallsat 7]?

[NRO Unk Smallsat 7] re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 1 Jan 2026, ending a mission that began with its launch in 2020. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did [NRO Unk Smallsat 7] re-enter the atmosphere?

[NRO Unk Smallsat 7] re-entered on 1 Jan 2026, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built [NRO Unk Smallsat 7]?

[NRO Unk Smallsat 7] was operated by NROC and built by BALL? (US).

Launched together

[NRO Unk Smallsat 5]NORAD 45873[NRO Unk Smallsat 6]Re-entered 2026[NRO Unk Smallsat 8]Re-entered 2026
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.