OPS 7776

Re-entered 9 Feb 1971

OPS 7776 (NORAD 4874, COSPAR 1971-005A) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 9 Feb 1971, launched on 21 Jan 1971 on the GAMBIT-3 Mission 4330 mission. It is catalogued as GAMBIT-3 FM-30. It was operated by NRO / SAFSP as part of the KH8B programme. The spacecraft was built by LMSC on the KH-8 bus, with a mass of 2,400 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

1971

re-entered

years on orbit

2,400

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched21 Jan 1971 · on the GAMBIT-3 Mission 4330 mission

Operational9 Feb 1971 · entered service

Retired9 Feb 1971 · end of operational service

Re-entered9 Feb 1971 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID4874

COSPAR1971-005A

TypeSatellite

OperatorNRO / SAFSP

Country / StateUS

ManufacturerLMSC

BusKH-8

Mass2,400 kg

ProgrammeKH8B

CategoryIMG

OrbitLEO (LLEO/R)

Altitude130 × 417 km

Inclination110.8°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to OPS 7776?

OPS 7776 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 9 Feb 1971, 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 OPS 7776 re-enter the atmosphere?

OPS 7776 re-entered on 9 Feb 1971, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built OPS 7776?

OPS 7776 was operated by NRO / SAFSP and built by LMSC (US).

Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-10-05.

Browse the live satellite directory → Re-entered satellites archive → Launch record: GAMBIT-3 Mission 4330 → What is space debris? →