# Cosmos 1778
**Wikidata**: [Q12907492](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12907492)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-1778

## Summary
Cosmos 1778 was a Soviet navigation satellite launched on September 16, 1986. As a component of the original GLONASS constellation, it was designed to provide positioning and timing data. The satellite was deployed into orbit using a Proton-K carrier rocket equipped with a Blok DM-2 upper stage.

## Key Facts
- **COSPAR ID:** 1986-071A
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 16961
- **Instance of:** GLONASS (Uragan) navigation satellite
- **Launch Date:** September 16, 1986
- **Launch Time:** 11:38:09
- **Launch Vehicle:** Proton-K
- **Upper Stage:** Blok DM-2 (Space Tug)
- **Launch Site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200
- **Alternate Name:** Kosmos 1778

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite was Cosmos 1778?
A: Cosmos 1778 was a GLONASS navigation satellite, part of the original family of Soviet radio-based navigation systems used for position and timing determination.

### Q: When and how was Cosmos 1778 launched?
A: It launched on September 16, 1986, at 11:38:09 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200. It was carried into orbit by a Proton-K rocket supported by a Blok DM-2 upper stage.

### Q: What is the significance of the name "Cosmos 1778"?
A: The name follows the Soviet "Cosmos" designation convention, which was often used to obfuscate the specific nature or military utility of satellites; its functional identity is that of a GLONASS navigation satellite.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 1778 serves as a historical data point in the development of global satellite navigation. As part of the original GLONASS family, it represents the Soviet Union's efforts to establish a radio-based satellite navigation system comparable to the American GPS. Launched in the mid-1980s, this satellite contributed to the testing and expansion of the constellation required for global coverage.

The mission highlights the technological capabilities of the era, specifically the use of the heavy-lift Proton-K rocket and the Blok DM-2 space tug to place navigation payloads into their required orbits. The launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200 underscores the infrastructure reliance on key Soviet spaceports. For analysts of space history, Cosmos 1778 illustrates the operational tempo and hardware specifications (such as the specific launch time and COSPAR ID) maintained by the Soviet space program during the 1980s.

## Notable For
- Being an early unit of the **original GLONASS family**, the Soviet counterpart to GPS.
- Utilizing the **Proton-K rocket**, a workhorse of Soviet heavy-lift spaceflight.
- Incorporating the **Blok DM-2** upper stage to reach its final orbital position.
- Launching from **Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200**, a specific pad used for heavy payload launches.
- Operating under the "Cosmos" designation, a standard practice for Soviet military or operational satellites of that period.

## Body
### Mission Identity and Classification
Cosmos 1778 is identified by the international COSPAR ID **1986-071A** and the Satellite Catalog Number **16961**. While publicly named under the generic "Cosmos" series, structurally and functionally it is an **instance of a GLONASS satellite**. This classification places it within the network of satellites designed to provide precise positioning and velocity determination for users on land, at sea, and in the air.

### Launch Specifications
The satellite was successfully launched on **September 16, 1986**. The specific UTC time of the rocket launch event was recorded at **11:38:09**.
*   **Launch Site:** The mission originated from **Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200**, a major launch complex used for Proton rockets.
*   **Launch Vehicle:** The flight was conducted using a **Proton-K** carrier rocket. This vehicle was a standard choice for launching the heavy GLONASS satellites.
*   **Upper Stage:** To facilitate orbital insertion, the rocket utilized a **Blok DM-2** space tug, which acted as the final stage to propel the satellite into its intended orbit.

### Related Entities
The technical and operational context of Cosmos 1778 involves two major aerospace entities:
*   **GLONASS:** The overarching navigation satellite system to which this unit belonged.
*   **Proton-K:** The specific launch vehicle class used to deploy the satellite.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report