# Cosmos 2143
**Wikidata**: [Q12753629](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12753629)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-2143

## Summary
Cosmos 2143 is a Soviet-era military communications satellite launched on May 16, 1991. Classified as a Strela-3 type satellite, it was deployed into orbit using a Tsyklon-3 launch vehicle from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. It is identified by the international designator 1991-033A and the Satellite Catalog Number 21299.

## Key Facts
*   **Entity Type:** Strela-3 (Ukrainian military communications satellite).
*   **Launch Date:** May 16, 1991.
*   **Launch Time:** 21:40:54.
*   **Launch Vehicle:** Tsyklon-3 (Soviet/Ukrainian expendable launch vehicle).
*   **Launch Site:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 32.
*   **COSPAR ID:** 1991-033A.
*   **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 21299.
*   **Alternate Name:** Kosmos 2143.
*   **Wolfram Language Entity Code:** Entity["Satellite", "21299"].

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite is Cosmos 2143?
A: Cosmos 2143 is a Strela-3 class satellite, which is a type of Ukrainian military communications satellite designed for strategic communications.

### Q: When and how was Cosmos 2143 launched?
A: The satellite was launched on May 16, 1991, at 21:40:54, using a Tsyklon-3 rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 32.

### Q: What are the international identifiers for Cosmos 2143?
A: The satellite carries the COSPAR ID 1991-033A and the Satellite Catalog Number 21299.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 2143 serves as a historical example of the Soviet and subsequently Ukrainian aerospace capabilities during the final era of the Soviet Union. As part of the Strela-3 constellation, it represents the military communications infrastructure relied upon for secure data transmission during a period of significant geopolitical transition. The launch demonstrates the operational use of the Tsyklon-3 launch vehicle, a joint Soviet-Ukrainian technological achievement, and highlights the activity at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, specifically Site 32. For analysts tracking space debris, orbital history, or the lineage of military satellite constellations, Cosmos 2143 provides a distinct data point with verifiable technical and temporal coordinates.

## Notable For
*   Being a specific instance of the **Strela-3** class of military communications satellites.
*   Launching aboard a **Tsyklon-3**, a prominent Soviet/Ukrainian expendable launch system.
*   Having a precise recorded launch time of **21:40:54** on May 16, 1991.
*   Being launched from **Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 32**, a key specific launch infrastructure.
*   Possessing a unique **Wolfram Language Entity Code**, indicating its inclusion in computational knowledge bases.

## Body

### Classification and Identity
Cosmos 2143 is officially classified as an instance of the **Strela-3** system. This class is defined in the source material as a type of Ukrainian military communications satellite. The entity holds the alternate alias "Kosmos 2143" and is tracked under the Satellite Catalog Number (SCN) **21299**. Its international designation under the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) is **1991-033A**.

### Launch Event Details
The satellite's deployment is recorded as a significant event categorized as a "rocket launch." This event took place on **May 16, 1991**, at a precise time of **21:40:54**.

**Launch Infrastructure:**
*   **Location:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 32.
*   **Vehicle:** The Tsyklon-3, identified as a Soviet/Ukrainian expendable launch vehicle.

### Data and Referencing
The information regarding Cosmos 2143 is derived from structured data sources, including Wikidata and academic references (specifically referencing property P248 and Q6272367). The satellite is also indexed in the Wolfram Language system under the code `Entity["Satellite", "21299"]`. Wikipedia articles associated with this entity exist in several languages, including Croatian (hr), Macedonian (mk), and Serbian (sh, sr).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report