SO-M No. 502

Re-entered 15 Feb 1973

SO-M No. 502 (NORAD 6364, COSPAR 1973-009A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 15 Feb 1973, launched on 15 Feb 1973 on the SO-M No. 502 mission. It was operated by IKI / BABTS as part of the SO-M programme. The spacecraft was built by NPOL on the SO-M bus, with a mass of 845 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.

1973

launched

1973

re-entered

years on orbit

845

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched15 Feb 1973 · on the SO-M No. 502 mission

Operational26 Mar 1974 · entered service

Retired26 Mar 1974 · end of operational service

Re-entered15 Feb 1973 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID6364

COSPAR1973-009A

TypeSatellite

OperatorIKI / BABTS

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerNPOL

BusSO-M

Mass845 kg

ProgrammeSO-M

CategorySCI/AST

OrbitLEO (DSO)

Altitude895 × 199,442 km

Inclination65.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to SO-M No. 502?

SO-M No. 502 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 15 Feb 1973, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1973. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did SO-M No. 502 re-enter the atmosphere?

SO-M No. 502 re-entered on 15 Feb 1973, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built SO-M No. 502?

SO-M No. 502 was operated by IKI / BABTS and built by NPOL (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: SO-M No. 502 → What is space debris? →