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Kepler 4/Gen1-1

Re-entered 18 Jun 2025

Kepler 4/Gen1-1 (NORAD 46499, COSPAR 2020-068P) was a CA satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 18 Jun 2025, launched on 28 Sep 2020 on the Gonets-M No. 27/28/29 mission. It was operated by KEPLER as part of the Kepler programme. The spacecraft was built by KEPLER/UTIAS on the Cubesat 6U bus, with a mass of 15 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
2025
re-entered
5
years on orbit
15
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched28 Sep 2020 · on the Gonets-M No. 27/28/29 mission
Operational1 May 2025 · entered service
Retired1 May 2025 · end of operational service
Re-entered18 Jun 2025 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID46499
COSPAR2020-068P
TypeSatellite
OperatorKEPLER
Country / StateCA
ManufacturerKEPLER/UTIAS
BusCubesat 6U
Mass15 kg
ProgrammeKepler
CategoryCOM
OrbitLEO (LLEO/S)
Altitude554 × 568 km
Inclination97.7°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Kepler 4/Gen1-1?

Kepler 4/Gen1-1 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 18 Jun 2025, 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 Kepler 4/Gen1-1 re-enter the atmosphere?

Kepler 4/Gen1-1 re-entered on 18 Jun 2025, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Kepler 4/Gen1-1?

Kepler 4/Gen1-1 was operated by KEPLER and built by KEPLER/UTIAS (CA).

Launched together

Gonets-M No. 27LNORAD 46486Gonets-M No. 28LNORAD 46487Gonets-M No. 29LNORAD 46488MeznSatRe-entered 2025Yarilo-1Re-entered 2025Yarilo-2Re-entered 2025LacunaSat 3Re-entered 2025DekartNORAD 46493
Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-09-06.