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Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4

Re-entered 27 Jan 1976

Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4 (NORAD 8488, COSPAR 1975-119A) was a CN satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 27 Jan 1976, launched on 16 Dec 1975 on the JSSW mission. It was operated by JGB7 as part of the JSSW programme. The spacecraft was built by CAST on the JSSW bus, with a mass of 1,109 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.

1975
launched
1976
re-entered
1
year on orbit
1,109
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched16 Dec 1975 · on the JSSW mission
Operational1 Jan 1976 · entered service
Retired1 Jan 1976 · end of operational service
Re-entered27 Jan 1976 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID8488
COSPAR1975-119A
TypeSatellite
OperatorJGB7
Country / StateCN
ManufacturerCAST
BusJSSW
Mass1,109 kg
ProgrammeJSSW
CategoryIMG
OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)
Altitude187 × 380 km
Inclination69.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4?

Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 27 Jan 1976, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1975. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4 re-enter the atmosphere?

Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4 re-entered on 27 Jan 1976, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4?

Jishu Shiyan Weixing 4 was operated by JGB7 and built by CAST (CN).

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