# Cosmos 1863
**Wikidata**: [Q12753488](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12753488)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-1863

## Summary
Cosmos 1863 (also Kosmos 1863) is a Zenit 8-class military reconnaissance (spy) satellite of the Soviet Union. It was launched on 4 July 1987 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41 aboard a Soyuz-U launch vehicle.

## Key Facts
- Cosmos 1863 is an instance of the Zenit 8 class, a military spy satellite type used by the Soviet Union.
- COSPAR ID: 1987-056A.
- Satellite catalog number (SCN): 18155.
- Launch date: 1987-07-04.
- Launch time (significant event): 12:25:00 on 1987-07-04 (rocket launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41).
- Launch site (start point): Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41.
- Launch vehicle: Soyuz-U (a Soyuz rocket design variant — "Universal").
- Alias: Kosmos 1863.
- Wolfram Language entity code: Entity["Satellite", "18155"].
- Wikipedia language pages (sitelink count 3): mk, sh, sr.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Cosmos 1863?
A: Cosmos 1863 is a Soviet Zenit 8-class military spy (reconnaissance) satellite launched in 1987.

### Q: When and where was Cosmos 1863 launched?
A: It was launched on 4 July 1987 at 12:25:00 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41.

### Q: What launch vehicle placed Cosmos 1863 into orbit?
A: Cosmos 1863 was launched on a Soyuz-U launch vehicle (a Soyuz rocket design variant described as "Universal").

### Q: How is Cosmos 1863 identified in satellite catalogs?
A: It has COSPAR ID 1987-056A and satellite catalog number 18155.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 1863 is a documented example of the Soviet Union's use of the Zenit 8 series for military reconnaissance. As a Zenit 8-class satellite, it formed part of the USSR's space-based intelligence assets. Its launch demonstrates operational use of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle and Plesetsk Cosmodrome infrastructure for placing military payloads into orbit. The mission is indexed in international satellite catalogs (COSPAR 1987-056A, SCN 18155) and is recorded in multiple language Wikipedias, making it a traceable element of late-20th-century Soviet space activity. For researchers and historians, Cosmos 1863 provides a verifiable data point for studies of Soviet reconnaissance programs, launch vehicle operations, and orbital cataloging practices.

## Notable For
- Being an instance of the Zenit 8 military spy satellite class used by the Soviet Union.
- Launch on 4 July 1987 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41 at 12:25:00.
- Use of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, a widely used Soyuz variant.
- Official identifiers: COSPAR 1987-056A and satellite catalog number 18155.
- Presence in multiple language Wikipedias (three sitelinks recorded).

## Body

### Overview
- Name: Cosmos 1863 (alias Kosmos 1863).
- Classification: Zenit 8 (military reconnaissance / spy satellite) — a class used by the Soviet Union.
- Primary public identifiers: COSPAR ID 1987-056A; SCN 18155.

### Launch details
- Launch date: 1987-07-04.
- Significant event recorded: rocket launch on 1987-07-04 at 12:25:00.
- Launch site (start point): Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 41.
- Launch vehicle: Soyuz-U (a Soyuz rocket design variant described as "Universal").

### Cataloging and records
- Satellite catalog number (SCN): 18155 (reference: dataset identified in source).
- COSPAR designation: 1987-056A.
- Wolfram Language entity: Entity["Satellite", "18155"].
- Sitelink count: 3 (Wikipedia language codes recorded: mk, sh, sr).

### Classification and related systems
- Instance of: Zenit 8 class — identified as a military spy satellite used by the Soviet Union.
- Related launch vehicle class: Soyuz-U — noted as a Soyuz rocket design variant ("Universal") associated with the Soviet Union.

### References and language records
- Recorded in multiple language Wikipedias (codes: mk, sh, sr).
- Core machine-readable identifiers included above (COSPAR, SCN, Wolfram entity).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report