Kosmos-896

Re-entered 16 Mar 1977

Kosmos-896 (NORAD 9857, COSPAR 1977-016A) was a SU satellite that re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 16 Mar 1977, launched on 3 Mar 1977 on the Zenit-6 mission. It is catalogued as Zenit-6 No. 3L. It was operated by GUKOS RVSN as part of the Zenit-6 programme. The spacecraft was built by TSSKB on the Zenit-6 bus, with a mass of 2,655 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.

1977

launched

1977

re-entered

years on orbit

2,655

kg mass

Lifecycle

Launched3 Mar 1977 · on the Zenit-6 mission

Operational16 Mar 1977 · entered service

Retired16 Mar 1977 · end of operational service

Re-entered16 Mar 1977 · atmospheric re-entry — object destroyed

Specifications

NORAD ID9857

COSPAR1977-016A

TypeSatellite

OperatorGUKOS RVSN

Country / StateSU

ManufacturerTSSKB

BusZenit-6

Mass2,655 kg

ProgrammeZenit-6

CategoryIMG

OrbitLEO (LLEO/I)

Altitude193 × 206 km

Inclination72.9°

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Kosmos-896?

Kosmos-896 re-entered Earth's atmosphere on 16 Mar 1977, ending a mission that began with its launch in 1977. Objects in low orbits are gradually slowed by atmospheric drag until they fall back and burn up on re-entry.

When did Kosmos-896 re-enter the atmosphere?

Kosmos-896 re-entered on 16 Mar 1977, according to Orbital Radar's historical catalogue records.

Who operated and built Kosmos-896?

Kosmos-896 was operated by GUKOS RVSN and built by TSSKB (SU).

Historical record from the Orbital Radar satellite archive. Sources & methodology: data sources. Accessed 2026-10-05.

Browse the live satellite directory → Re-entered satellites archive → Launch record: Zenit-6 → What is space debris? →