# Cosmos 1499
**Wikidata**: [Q12753306](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12753306)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-1499

## Summary
Cosmos 1499 (also known as Kosmos 1499) was a Soviet spy satellite operating under the Zenit 6U class of spacecraft. It was launched on September 17, 1983, utilizing a Soyuz-U rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41. The mission was part of the Soviet Union's extensive Cosmos program, which obfuscated military and scientific satellites under a generic naming convention.

## Key Facts
- **COSPAR ID:** 1983-097A
- **Satellite Catalog Number:** 14339
- **Classification:** Zenit 6U (Soviet spy satellite)
- **Launch Date:** September 17, 1983
- **Launch Time:** 11:15:00
- **Launch Site:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41
- **Launch Vehicle:** Soyuz-U
- **Alternative Name:** Kosmos 1499
- **Operator:** Soviet Union
- **Wolfram Language Entity Code:** Entity["Satellite", "14339"]

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite was Cosmos 1499?
A: Cosmos 1499 was a Soviet spy satellite specifically belonging to the Zenit 6U class.

### Q: When and where was Cosmos 1499 launched?
A: The satellite was launched on September 17, 1983, at 11:15:00 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Cosmos 1499?
A: It was launched using a Soyuz-U rocket, a universal variant of the Soyuz rocket design.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 1499 serves as a representative example of the Soviet Union's intense intelligence-gathering activities during the Cold War. As a Zenit 6U satellite, it highlights the Soviet reliance on robust, film-return reconnaissance satellites to monitor geopolitical hotspots. The mission illustrates the high cadence of the Soviet space program, which frequently utilized the reliable Soyuz-U launch vehicle to maintain a constant stream of intelligence data. By categorizing this military asset under the non-descript "Cosmos" label, the mission reflects the strategic secrecy characteristic of the era.

## Notable For
- **Military Surveillance:** Identified specifically as a "spy satellite" within the Zenit 6U class.
- **Launch Frequency:** Part of the massive Cosmos series, which encompassed thousands of Soviet satellites.
- **Site Specificity:** Launched from Site 41/1 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, a primary hub for military spaceflight.
- **Reliable Platform:** Utilized the Soyuz-U, one of the most flown launch vehicles in history.

## Body

### Mission Identity and Classification
Cosmos 1499 was designated with the COSPAR ID 1983-097A and the Satellite Catalog Number (SCN) 14339. In Soviet nomenclature, the satellite was an "instance of" the **Zenit 6U** class. This classification confirms its role as a Soviet spy satellite, a type of spacecraft typically used for photoreconnaissance.

### Launch Specifications
The satellite was successfully delivered to orbit on **September 17, 1983**. The launch event was precisely timed at **11:15:00**.
*   **Launch Vehicle:** The mission employed the **Soyuz-U**, a universal variant of the Soyuz rocket family.
*   **Launch Site:** The launch originated from **Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41**, a facility frequently used for military satellite deployments.

### Orbital Designations
The spacecraft is tracked in modern databases via its Wolfram Language entity code: `Entity["Satellite", "14339"]`. While the "Cosmos" designation was used to obscure the satellite's military nature, international tracking systems identified it under the sequential number 1499.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report