# Cosmos 1820
**Wikidata**: [Q12753466](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12753466)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-1820

## Summary
Cosmos 1820 was a Soviet satellite launched on February 14, 1987, as part of the Kosmos series, which encompasses Soviet and Russian military satellites. It was deployed into orbit using a Zenit-2 rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The satellite is identified by the COSPAR ID 1987-016A and SatCat number 17523.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification:** Cosmos 1820 is an instance of the **Kosmos** series, a class of Soviet and Russian military satellites.
*   **Launch Date:** The satellite was launched on **February 14, 1987**.
*   **Launch Vehicle:** It was delivered to orbit by a **Zenit-2** rocket, a Ukrainian-Russian launch vehicle.
*   **Launch Site:** The launch originated from **Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45**.
*   **Launch Time:** The significant event (rocket launch) occurred at **08:30:00** UTC.
*   **Identifiers:** The satellite holds the COSPAR ID **1987-016A** and the SatCat number **17523**.
*   **Aliases:** It is also known as **Kosmos 1820**.

## FAQs
### Q: When was Cosmos 1820 launched?
A: Cosmos 1820 was launched on February 14, 1987, at 08:30:00 UTC.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Cosmos 1820?
A: The satellite was launched using a Zenit-2 rocket, which is a Ukrainian-Russian rocket designed for launching satellites.

### Q: What type of satellite is Cosmos 1820?
A: Cosmos 1820 is part of the Kosmos series, a designation used for Soviet and Russian military satellites.

### Q: Where did the launch of Cosmos 1820 take place?
A: The launch took place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 1820 serves as a representative entry in the extensive Kosmos program, a long-running series that played a critical role in Soviet and Russian aerospace history. The Kosmos designation was historically utilized to standardize the naming of a wide array of military and scientific satellites, often obscuring the specific nature of reconnaissance or defense-related missions. As such, Cosmos 1820 contributes to the broader understanding of Soviet military space operations during the late Cold War era.

The mission is also significant regarding its launch infrastructure. It utilized the Zenit-2 rocket, a medium-lift launch vehicle that was a product of cooperation between Ukraine and Russia (then part of the Soviet Union). Launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45, the mission highlights the use of specific, dedicated launch infrastructure for the Zenit program. Site 45 was a notable complex for Zenit launches, and missions like Cosmos 1820 demonstrate the operational tempo and technical capabilities of the Soviet space industry in 1987. The satellite's tracking via SatCat number 17523 and COSPAR ID 1987-016A ensures its continued recognition in global space object catalogs.

## Notable For
*   **Military Classification:** Being a distinct member of the Kosmos series, explicitly classified for military applications under Soviet and Russian space commands.
*   **Zenit-2 Integration:** Serving as a payload for the Zenit-2, a rocket series distinct for its Ukrainian-Russian engineering heritage.
*   **Site 45 Operations:** Utilizing Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45, a facility specifically associated with the Zenit launch program.
*   **Precise Tracking:** Maintaining a specific record in space catalogs (SatCat 17523) and Wolfram Language entity codes, indicating its status as a tracked orbital object.

## Body

### Mission Identity and Classification
Cosmos 1820 is officially classified as an instance of the **Kosmos** class of satellites. The name "Kosmos" refers to a series of Soviet and subsequently Russian military satellites. This naming convention has been used since the early 1960s to designate a vast majority of Soviet military and scientific spacecraft. The satellite is alternatively referred to as **Kosmos 1820** in various international records, including language editions of Wikipedia (Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, and Serbian).

### Launch Details
The launch of Cosmos 1820 represents a specific "rocket launch" event in historical records.
*   **Date:** The mission launched on **February 14, 1987**.
*   **Time:** The precise time of the launch event was **08:30:00**.
*   **Location:** The launch was executed from **Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 45**. The Baikonur Cosmodrome is a major spaceport located in Kazakhstan, historically serving as the primary launch site for the Soviet space program.

### Launch Vehicle
The payload was delivered to orbit by the **Zenit-2** rocket.
*   **Rocket Type:** The Zenit-2 is a derivative of the Zenit rocket family, described in records as a "rocket for launching satellites."
*   **Origin:** The Zenit rocket is noted as a Ukrainian-Russian vehicle, developed during the Soviet era.
*   **Function:** The Zenit-2 was specifically designed to place payloads, such as military satellites like Cosmos 1820, into Earth orbit.

### Technical Identifiers
To facilitate tracking and data management, Cosmos 1820 is associated with several specific numerical identifiers:
*   **SatCat Number:** **17523** (referenced in the Wikidata structured property `scn`). This number is used by the Space Catalog to track the object.
*   **COSPAR ID:** **1987-016A**. This international designation indicates the year of launch (1987), the sequential number of the launch that year (016), and that this is the primary object (A) resulting from that launch.
*   **Wolfram Language Code:** The entity is computable in the Wolfram Language as `Entity["Satellite", "17523"]`.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report