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🛰️ SATELLITE · HISTORICAL RECORD

ARGON 22

Re-entered 31 Mar 1965

ARGON 22 (NORAD 861, COSPAR 1964-048A) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 31 Mar 1965, launched on 21 Aug 1964 on the ARGON 22 mission. It was operated by NRO / ACE as part of the CORONA ARGON programme. The spacecraft was built by LMSC on the CORONA ARGON bus, with a mass of 135 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.

1964
launched
1965
re-entered
1
year on orbit
135
kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched21 Aug 1964 · on the ARGON 22 mission
Operational27 Aug 1964 · entered service
Retired27 Aug 1964 · end of operational service
Re-entered31 Mar 1965 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID861
COSPAR1964-048A
TypeSatellite
OperatorNRO / ACE
Country / StateUS
ManufacturerLMSC
BusCORONA ARGON
Mass135 kg
ProgrammeCORONA ARGON
CategoryIMG
OrbitLEO (LLEO/R)
Altitude329 × 346 km
Inclination115.0°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to ARGON 22?

ARGON 22 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 31 Mar 1965, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1964. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did ARGON 22 re-enter the atmosphere?

ARGON 22 re-entered on 31 Mar 1965, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built ARGON 22?

ARGON 22 was operated by NRO / ACE and built by LMSC (US).

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