DS-U2-GKA No. 1

Retired 1972

DS-U2-GKA No. 1 (NORAD 5729, COSPAR 1971-119A) is a retired SU satellite, withdrawn from service around 1 Sep 1972, launched on 27 Dec 1971 on the DS-U2-GKA No. 1 mission. It was operated by YUZH / CNES as part of the DS-U2-GKA programme. The spacecraft was built by YUZH on the DS-U2 bus, with a mass of 348 kg. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

1971

launched

1972

retired

years on orbit

348

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched27 Dec 1971 · on the DS-U2-GKA No. 1 mission

Operational20 Jun 1972 · entered service

Retired1 Sep 1972 · end of operational service

StatusOn orbit (not live-tracked)

Specifications

NORAD ID5729

COSPAR1971-119A

TypeSatellite

OperatorYUZH / CNES

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerYUZH

BusDS-U2

Mass348 kg

ProgrammeDS-U2-GKA

CategorySCI

OrbitLEO (LEO/I)

Altitude399 × 2,474 km

Inclination74.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to DS-U2-GKA No. 1?

DS-U2-GKA No. 1 was retired from service around 1 Sep 1972 after launching in 1971. It is no longer operational but remains catalogued.

How long was DS-U2-GKA No. 1 operational?

DS-U2-GKA No. 1 was operational for roughly 2 months, from 20 Jun 1972 to 1 Sep 1972.

Who operated and built DS-U2-GKA No. 1?

DS-U2-GKA No. 1 was operated by YUZH / CNES and built by YUZH (SU).

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

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