# Cosmos 1982
**Wikidata**: [Q12907542](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12907542)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-1982

## Summary
Cosmos 1982 was a Soviet military spy satellite launched on November 30, 1988. Identified by the COSPAR ID 1988-105A, it was a Zenit-8 class spacecraft deployed via a Soyuz-U rocket from Gagarin's Start at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification:** Cosmos 1982 is an instance of a Zenit 8, a class of military spy satellite utilized by the Soviet Union.
*   **Launch Date:** The satellite was launched on November 30, 1988.
*   **Launch Vehicle:** It was delivered into orbit using a Soyuz-U rocket, a "Universal" variant of the Soyuz rocket design.
*   **Launch Site:** The mission launched from Gagarin's Start, a historic launch site.
*   **COSPAR ID:** Its international satellite designation is 1988-105A.
*   **Satellite Catalog Number:** It holds the catalog number 19662.
*   **Significant Event:** The rocket launch occurred precisely at 09:00:00 on November 30, 1988.
*   **Alternate Name:** The satellite is also known by the alias "Kosmos 1982."

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite was Cosmos 1982?
A: Cosmos 1982 was a Zenit 8 military spy satellite used by the Soviet Union for reconnaissance purposes.

### Q: When and how was Cosmos 1982 launched?
A: It was launched on November 30, 1988, at 09:00:00 using a Soyuz-U rocket from the Gagarin's Start launch facility.

### Q: What are the international identifiers for Cosmos 1982?
A: The satellite is identified by the COSPAR ID 1988-105A and the Satellite Catalog Number 19662.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 1982 serves as a specific historical data point in the timeline of the Soviet space program, representing the continued operational use of the Zenit-8 series for military reconnaissance during the late Cold War era. As a military spy satellite, its primary role was likely photoreconnaissance, contributing to the Soviet Union's intelligence-gathering capabilities.

The mission highlights the reliance on proven infrastructure, utilizing the Soyuz-U rocket—described as a "Universal" variant—and launching from Gagarin's Start, the same pad used for the first human spaceflight. By cataloging this mission under the "Cosmos" designation, the Soviet Union followed its standard protocol of obscuring the specific nature of military assets by assigning them generic Cosmos numbers. The existence of records in Wolfram Language and multiple Wikipedia languages (Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, Serbian) indicates its recognition in global space tracking databases.

## Notable For
*   Being a confirmed **Zenit 8** military spy satellite instance.
*   Launching from the historically significant **Gagarin's Start** site.
*   Utilizing the **Soyuz-U** rocket, a workhorse of the Soviet space fleet.
*   precise launch time recorded as **09:00:00**.
*   Having a distinct **Wolfram Language entity code** (Entity["Satellite", "19662"]).

## Body

### Mission Profile and Launch
Cosmos 1982 executed its primary mission on November 30, 1988. The launch event was a "rocket launch" classified under the Soviet space program's military operations. The launch took place at precisely 09:00:00. The mission originated from "Gagarin's Start," serving as the "start point" for the vehicle's ascent.

### Technical Specifications and Hardware
The spacecraft itself is classified as an "instance of" the **Zenit 8** class. The Zenit 8 is defined in the source material as a "military spy satellite used by Soviet Union."

The launch vehicle employed was the **Soyuz-U**. This vehicle is a variant of the Soyuz rocket design, noted for its "Universal" application capabilities. Both the satellite class and the launch vehicle are attributed to the Soviet Union.

### Identifiers and Records
In global space catalogs, Cosmos 1982 is tracked using specific identifiers:
*   **COSPAR ID:** 1988-105A
*   **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 19662

In computational knowledge bases, such as the Wolfram Language, the entity is coded as `Entity["Satellite", "19662"]`. The spacecraft is referenced across several language editions of Wikipedia, including Macedonian (mk), Serbo-Croatian (sh), and Serbian (sr).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report