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🛰️ SATELLITE · HISTORICAL RECORD

Orbiting Frog Otolith 1

Re-entered 9 May 1971

Orbiting Frog Otolith 1 (NORAD 4690, COSPAR 1970-094A) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 9 May 1971, launched on 9 Nov 1970 on the OFO mission. It was operated by ARC / WI as part of the NASA Small programme. The spacecraft was built by SPG on the OV3 bus, with a mass of 133 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.

1970
launched
1971
re-entered
1
year on orbit
133
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched9 Nov 1970 · on the OFO mission
Operational15 Nov 1970 · entered service
Retired15 Nov 1970 · end of operational service
Re-entered9 May 1971 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID4690
COSPAR1970-094A
TypeSatellite
OperatorARC / WI
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerSPG
BusOV3
Mass133 kg
ProgrammeNASA Small
CategoryBIO
OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)
Altitude287 × 506 km
Inclination37.4°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Orbiting Frog Otolith 1?

Orbiting Frog Otolith 1 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 9 May 1971, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1970. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Orbiting Frog Otolith 1 re-enter the atmosphere?

Orbiting Frog Otolith 1 re-entered on 9 May 1971, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Orbiting Frog Otolith 1?

Orbiting Frog Otolith 1 was operated by ARC / WI and built by SPG (US).

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