# Cosmos 2003
**Wikidata**: [Q12907547](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12907547)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-2003

## Summary
Cosmos 2003 is a Soviet military spy satellite of the Zenit 8 class, launched on February 17, 1989, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 43 aboard a Soyuz-U rocket. It served as part of the Soviet Union's reconnaissance satellite program.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Zenit 8 military reconnaissance satellite class  
- **Launch Date**: February 17, 1989  
- **Launch Site**: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 43  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Soyuz-U rocket variant  
- **COSPAR ID**: 1989-015A  
- **SCN (Satellite Catalog Number)**: 19818  
- **Operator**: Soviet Union  
- **Event**: Rocket launch on February 17, 1989, at 14:59:59  
- **Aliases**: Kosmos 2003  
- **Wikipedia Languages**: Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, Serbian  

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the purpose of Cosmos 2003?  
A: Cosmos 2003 was a military reconnaissance satellite designed for spy operations under the Soviet Union's Zenit 8 program.  

### Q: When and where was Cosmos 2003 launched?  
A: It launched on February 17, 1989, at Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 43 at 14:59:59.  

### Q: What rocket was used to deploy Cosmos 2003?  
A: The satellite was deployed via a Soyuz-U rocket, a Soviet space launch vehicle.  

### Q: What identifiers are associated with Cosmos 2003?  
A: Its COSPAR ID is 1989-015A, and its Satellite Catalog Number (SCN) is 19818.  

## Why It Matters  
Cosmos 2003 exemplifies the Soviet Union's Cold War-era satellite reconnaissance capabilities, contributing to military intelligence and space dominance. As part of the Zenit 8 class, it represented a standardized, mass-produced spy satellite platform that provided critical overhead surveillance. The launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 43 underscored the site's role as a major Soviet spaceport for military operations. Its deployment during late-Perestroika-era tensions highlights the strategic importance of space-based intelligence in superpower geopolitics.  

## Notable For  
- **Military Use**: Operated as a Zenit 8 spy satellite for Soviet reconnaissance missions.  
- **Launch Precision**: Deployed at a specific time (14:59:59) from a dedicated military launch site (Site 43).  
- **Platform Association**: Utilized the Soyuz-U rocket, a universal variant pivotal to Soviet space programs.  
- **Identifier Specificity**: Assigned distinct COSPAR ID (1989-015A) and SCN (19818) for tracking.  
- **Multilingual Presence**: Recognized in Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, and Serbian Wikipedia entries.  

## Body  
### Overview  
Cosmos 2003 is a Soviet reconnaissance satellite classified under the Zenit 8 series. It shares the core characteristics of this military spy satellite class, designed for orbital surveillance tasks.  

### Launch Details  
- **Date**: February 17, 1989  
- **Time**: 14:59:59  
- **Site**: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 43  
- **Rocket**: Soyuz-U (Soviet Union, Universal variant)  
- **Event Type**: Rocket launch  

### Identifiers  
- **SCN**: 19818  
- **COSPAR ID**: 1989-015A  
- **Aliases**: Kosmos 2003 (Cyrillic equivalent)  

### Technical Classification  
- **Instance Of**: Zenit 8 (military spy satellite)  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Soyuz-U (18 Wikimedia sitelinks, Soviet origin)  
- **Program**: Soviet space reconnaissance program  

### Digital Presence  
- **Sitelink Count**: 3 (cross-language references)  
- **Wikipedia Languages**: Macedonian (mk), Serbo-Croatian (sh), Serbian (sr)  
- **Wolfram Code**: Entity["Satellite", "19818"]

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report