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ERTS A

Re-entered 14 Jan 1975

ERTS A (NORAD 6126, COSPAR 1972-058A) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 14 Jan 1975, launched on 23 Jul 1972 on the ERTS A mission. It was operated by GSFC as part of the Landsat programme. The spacecraft was built by GEVF on the Nimbus bus, with a mass of 891 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.

1972
launched
1975
re-entered
3
years on orbit
891
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched23 Jul 1972 · on the ERTS A mission
Operational26 Jan 1978 · entered service
Retired26 Jan 1978 · end of operational service
Re-entered14 Jan 1975 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID6126
COSPAR1972-058A
TypeSatellite
OperatorGSFC
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerGEVF
BusNimbus
Mass891 kg
ProgrammeLandsat
CategoryIMG
OrbitLEO (LEO/S)
Altitude902 × 917 km
Inclination99.1°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to ERTS A?

ERTS A re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 14 Jan 1975, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1972. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did ERTS A re-enter the atmosphere?

ERTS A re-entered on 14 Jan 1975, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built ERTS A?

ERTS A was operated by GSFC and built by GEVF (US).

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