Meteor (M) No. 38L

Retired 1976

Meteor (M) No. 38L (NORAD 8519, COSPAR 1975-124A) is a retired SU satellite, withdrawn from service around 15 Oct 1976, launched on 25 Dec 1975 on the Meteor No. 38 mission. It was operated by GUKOSR / GMS as part of the Meteor C programme. The spacecraft was built by VNIEM on the Meteor bus, with a mass of 1,280 kg. Historical record from Orbital Radar's satellite archive, cross-referenced with the live satellite catalogue.

1975

launched

1976

retired

years on orbit

1,280

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched25 Dec 1975 · on the Meteor No. 38 mission

Operational15 Oct 1976 · entered service

Retired15 Oct 1976 · end of operational service

StatusOn orbit (not live-tracked)

Specifications

NORAD ID8519

COSPAR1975-124A

TypeSatellite

OperatorGUKOSR / GMS

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerVNIEM

BusMeteor

Mass1,280 kg

ProgrammeMeteor C

CategoryMET

OrbitLEO (LEO/I)

Altitude841 × 885 km

Inclination81.3°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Meteor (M) No. 38L?

Meteor (M) No. 38L was retired from service around 15 Oct 1976 after launching in 1975. It is no longer operational but remains catalogued.

Who operated and built Meteor (M) No. 38L?

Meteor (M) No. 38L was operated by GUKOSR / GMS and built by VNIEM (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: Meteor No. 38 → What is space debris? →