Ionosfernaya Stantsiya No 12

Retired 1971

Ionosfernaya Stantsiya No 12 (NORAD 4783, COSPAR 1970-102A) is a retired SU satellite, withdrawn from service around 1 Jan 1971, launched on 2 Dec 1970 on the Ionosfernaya Stantsiya N mission. It was operated by OKB10 as part of the ISTN programme. The spacecraft was built by OKB10 on the KAUR-1 bus, with a mass of 800 kg. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

1970

launched

1971

retired

years on orbit

800

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched2 Dec 1970 · on the Ionosfernaya Stantsiya N mission

Operational1 Jan 1971 · entered service

Retired1 Jan 1971 · end of operational service

StatusOn orbit (not live-tracked)

Specifications

NORAD ID4783

COSPAR1970-102A

TypeSatellite

OperatorOKB10

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerOKB10

BusKAUR-1

Mass800 kg

ProgrammeISTN

CategorySCI

OrbitLEO (LEO/I)

Altitude966 × 1,012 km

Inclination74.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Ionosfernaya Stantsiya No 12?

Ionosfernaya Stantsiya No 12 was retired from service around 1 Jan 1971 after launching in 1970. It is no longer operational but remains catalogued.

Who operated and built Ionosfernaya Stantsiya No 12?

Ionosfernaya Stantsiya No 12 was operated by OKB10 and built by OKB10 (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: Ionosfernaya Stantsiya N → What is space debris? →