Tselina-OM No. 6L

Re-entered 4 Jan 1980

Tselina-OM No. 6L (NORAD 5461, COSPAR 1971-074A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 4 Jan 1980, launched on 7 Sep 1971 on the Tselina-OM mission. It was operated by GRU as part of the Tselina-OM programme. The spacecraft was built by YUZH on the Tselina-OM bus, with a mass of 434 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

1980

re-entered

years on orbit

434

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched7 Sep 1971 · on the Tselina-OM mission

Operational1 Jan 1972 · entered service

Retired1 Jan 1972 · end of operational service

Re-entered4 Jan 1980 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID5461

COSPAR1971-074A

TypeSatellite

OperatorGRU

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerYUZH

BusTselina-OM

Mass434 kg

ProgrammeTselina-OM

CategorySIG

OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)

Altitude509 × 541 km

Inclination74.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Tselina-OM No. 6L?

Tselina-OM No. 6L re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 4 Jan 1980, 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 Tselina-OM No. 6L re-enter the atmosphere?

Tselina-OM No. 6L re-entered on 4 Jan 1980, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Tselina-OM No. 6L?

Tselina-OM No. 6L was operated by GRU and built by YUZH (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: Tselina-OM → What is space debris? →