# Cosmos 1293
**Wikidata**: [Q12907350](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12907350)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-1293

## Summary
Cosmos 1293 is a Soviet military communications satellite launched in 1981 as part of the Strela-1M constellation. It was deployed aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome and operated as part of a low-orbit satellite network for secure military communications.

## Key Facts
- **COSPAR ID**: 1981-074G  
- **Satellite Catalog Number**: 12642  
- **Launch Date**: August 6, 1981  
- **Launch Site**: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Kosmos-3M rocket  
- **Satellite Class**: Strela-1M  
- **Operator**: Soviet Union (later Russia)  
- **Significant Event**: Rocket launch at 11:49:00 UTC  

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Cosmos 1293?  
A: Cosmos 1293 was a military communications satellite designed for secure messaging within the Soviet Strela-1M network.  

### Q: What rocket launched Cosmos 1293?  
A: It was launched aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket, a Soviet orbital launch vehicle.  

### Q: Where was Cosmos 1293 launched from?  
A: It was deployed from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132, a major Soviet/Russian launch facility.  

## Why It Matters  
Cosmos 1293 was part of the Strela-1M satellite constellation, a critical Cold War-era military communications system for the Soviet Union. These satellites enabled encrypted messaging for Soviet armed forces, ensuring secure command and control across vast distances. Unlike geostationary satellites, Strela-1M satellites operated in low Earth orbit, reducing latency and improving reliability for tactical communications. The program demonstrated Soviet advancements in space-based military infrastructure and contributed to the broader strategic balance during the Cold War.  

## Notable For  
- One of multiple satellites in the Strela-1M constellation, a key Soviet military communications network.  
- Launched aboard the widely used Kosmos-3M rocket, a workhorse of Soviet space missions.  
- Operated from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a historically significant launch site for Soviet/Russian military payloads.  

## Body  
### Launch Details  
- **Date**: August 6, 1981  
- **Time**: 11:49:00 UTC  
- **Site**: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132  

### Satellite Specifications  
- **Class**: Strela-1M (military communications satellite)  
- **Catalog Number**: 12642  
- **COSPAR Designation**: 1981-074G  

### Launch Vehicle  
- **Rocket**: Kosmos-3M  
- **Country of Origin**: Soviet Union (later Russia)  

### Operational Context  
- Part of a constellation providing secure military messaging.  
- Low Earth orbit deployment ensured reduced signal delay compared to geostationary alternatives.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report