CORONA J-18

Re-entered 9 Feb 1965

CORONA J-18 (NORAD 972, COSPAR 1965-002A) was a US satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 9 Feb 1965, launched on 15 Jan 1965 on the CORONA J-18 mission. It was operated by NRO / CIA as part of the CORONA J programme. The spacecraft was built by LMSC on the CORONA KH-4A bus, with a mass of 210 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.

1965

launched

1965

re-entered

years on orbit

210

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched15 Jan 1965 · on the CORONA J-18 mission

Operational25 Jan 1965 · entered service

Retired25 Jan 1965 · end of operational service

Re-entered9 Feb 1965 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID972

COSPAR1965-002A

TypeSatellite

OperatorNRO / CIA

Country / StateUS

ManufacturerLMSC

BusCORONA KH-4A

Mass210 kg

ProgrammeCORONA J

CategoryIMG

OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)

Altitude179 × 409 km

Inclination74.9°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to CORONA J-18?

CORONA J-18 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 9 Feb 1965, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1965. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did CORONA J-18 re-enter the atmosphere?

CORONA J-18 re-entered on 9 Feb 1965, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built CORONA J-18?

CORONA J-18 was operated by NRO / CIA and built by LMSC (US).

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: CORONA J-18 → What is space debris? →