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Meteor (M) No. 19L

Re-entered 14 Jun 2005

Meteor (M) No. 19L (NORAD 4849, COSPAR 1971-003A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 14 Jun 2005, launched on 20 Jan 1971 on the Meteor-M No. 19 mission. It was operated by GUKOSR / GMS as part of the Meteor C programme. The spacecraft was built by VNIEM on the Meteor bus, with a mass of 1,280 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.

1971
launched
2005
re-entered
34
years on orbit
1,280
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched20 Jan 1971 · on the Meteor-M No. 19 mission
Operational4 Mar 1971 · entered service
Retired4 Mar 1971 · end of operational service
Re-entered14 Jun 2005 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID4849
COSPAR1971-003A
TypeSatellite
OperatorGUKOSR / GMS
Country / StateSU
ManufacturerVNIEM
BusMeteor
Mass1,280 kg
ProgrammeMeteor C
CategoryMET
OrbitLEO (LEO/I)
Altitude628 × 653 km
Inclination81.2°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Meteor (M) No. 19L?

Meteor (M) No. 19L re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 14 Jun 2005, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1971. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Meteor (M) No. 19L re-enter the atmosphere?

Meteor (M) No. 19L re-entered on 14 Jun 2005, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Meteor (M) No. 19L?

Meteor (M) No. 19L was operated by GUKOSR / GMS and built by VNIEM (SU).

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