COSMOS 1503
NORAD 14401
Payload
LEO
1983-103A
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
771 km
Apogee
791 km
Inclination
74.0°
Period
100.5 min
Mean Motion
14.33115185 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-05-08 12:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude781 km
Orbital Velocity26,876 km/h
Velocity7.47 km/s
Orbital Period100 minutes
Orbits / Day14.33
Eccentricity0.0014
Semi-Major Axis7,152 km
Est. Orbital Lifetime~25–100 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇷🇺 Russia (CIS)
Launch Date
1983-10-12
Launch Site
PKMTR
Int'l Designator
1983-103A
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
📖 About This Object
COSMOS 1503 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 1983-10-12 from PKMTR. With over 43 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 771 km and 791 km with an inclination of 74.0°. It travels at approximately 26,876 km/h (7.47 km/s), completing one full orbit every 100 minutes — that’s roughly 14.33 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~25–100 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1503 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.
🌍 Orbit Context
COSMOS 1503 occupies the mid-LEO band between 600 and 1,000 km, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains low. This altitude range balances orbital longevity (decades to centuries) with reasonable ground coverage, making it popular for remote sensing constellations, scientific instruments and weather satellites. Debris concerns are significant here because objects persist far longer than in lower orbits.
🔗 Cosmos (Military/Government) Series
This satellite carries the Cosmos designation, used by Russia (and formerly the Soviet Union) as a generic identifier for military and government spacecraft. The Cosmos series encompasses reconnaissance, signals intelligence (SIGINT), early warning, navigation, communications and scientific payloads. Many Cosmos satellites have classified missions with limited publicly available information.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
COSMOS 1503 orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 771 km (perigee) and 791 km (apogee), with an average altitude of approximately 781 km. It completes one orbit every 100 minutes, travelling at approximately 26,876 km/h (16,700 mph).
COSMOS 1503 is operated by Russia (CIS). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 14401. You can track COSMOS 1503 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.
COSMOS 1503 was launched on 1983-10-12 from PKMTR. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~25–100 years.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1503 (NORAD ID 14401) using the latest TLE (two-line element set) data from Space-Track and CelesTrak. Open the live tracker to see its current position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated in real time.
COSMOS 1503 travels at approximately 26,876 km/h (16,700 mph) — roughly 7.47 km/s. It completes 14.33 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 29 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.