# Cosmos 1948
**Wikidata**: [Q13566737](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13566737)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-1948

## Summary
Cosmos 1948 (also known as Kosmos 1948) was a Soviet navigation satellite launched on May 21, 1988. It was a component of the GLONASS system, the original family of Russian global navigation satellites, and was deployed into orbit using a Proton-K carrier rocket.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Instance of a GLONASS navigation satellite.
- **Launch Date:** May 21, 1988.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Proton-K (Russian/Soviet carrier rocket).
- **Launch Site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200.
- **Launch Time:** 17:57:00.
- **COSPAR ID:** 1988-043C.
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 19165.
- **Space Tug:** Blok DM-2.
- **Alternate Name:** Kosmos 1948.

## FAQs
### Q: What was Cosmos 1948?
A: Cosmos 1948 was a satellite belonging to the GLONASS family, which serves as a space-based radio navigation system. It was launched by the Soviet Union in 1988 to support global positioning capabilities.

### Q: How was Cosmos 1948 launched?
A: The satellite was launched aboard a Proton-K rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200. It utilized a Blok DM-2 space tug to assist in its orbital deployment.

### Q: What distinguishes Cosmos 1948 in satellite catalogs?
A: In international records, Cosmos 1948 is identified by the COSPAR ID 1988-043C and the Satellite Catalog Number 19165. These identifiers track the specific object launched on May 21, 1988.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 1948 represents a specific operational unit within the GLONASS (Globalnaya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema) constellation, which serves as a critical counterpart to other global navigation systems like GPS. Launched in the late 1980s, this satellite contributed to the expansion and maintenance of the Soviet Union's independent navigational infrastructure, ensuring continuous coverage for military and civilian users.

The mission is notable for its use of the Proton-K launch vehicle paired with a Blok DM-2 upper stage (space tug). This configuration was standard for heavy payloads requiring precise orbital insertion during that era. The specific launch details, including the precise time of 17:57:00 and the use of Site 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, highlight the logistical complexity involved in deploying the GLONASS constellation. As part of the "original family" of GLONASS satellites, Cosmos 1948 helped pave the way for the modernized navigation networks used by Russia today.

## Notable For
- Being part of the **original family** of GLONASS navigation satellites.
- Utilizing the **Blok DM-2** space tug for orbital insertion.
- Launching from the **Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200**, a major historic launch facility.
- Being identified under the **Kosmos** designation, a naming convention used by the Soviet Union for its military and scientific satellites.

## Body

### Mission Overview
Cosmos 1948 was identified as an instance of the GLONASS satellite class. As with other satellites in the Kosmos series, the nomenclature "Kosmos 1948" was used to designate the specific mission within the broader sequence of Soviet space launches. The satellite's primary function was navigation, serving as part of the network required to facilitate global positioning data.

### Launch Specifications
The launch took place on May 21, 1988. The mission employed a Proton-K carrier rocket, a heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by the Soviet Union.
- **Launch Complex:** Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200.
- **Exact Time:** 17:57:00.
- **Upper Stage:** The mission configuration included a Blok DM-2 space tug, utilized to deliver the satellite to its intended orbit.

### Identifiers and Classification
To distinguish this object from other space debris and satellites, Cosmos 1948 was assigned specific international and national identifiers.
- **COSPAR ID:** 1988-043C.
- **Satellite Catalog Number:** 19165.
- **Related Entities:** The satellite is directly linked to the GLONASS class of satellites and the Proton-K carrier rocket family.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report