# Cosmos 468
**Wikidata**: [Q12907712](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12907712)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-468

## Summary
Cosmos 468 is a Soviet/Russian communications satellite of the Strela-2M class. It was launched on December 17, 1971, aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: December 17, 1971 ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **COSPAR ID**: 1971-114A ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200386), [reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q53464))  
- **Satellite Class**: Strela-2M ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Launch Vehicle**: Kosmos-3M ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Launch Site**: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Spacecraft Catalog Number**: 05705 ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Aliases**: Kosmos 468  
- **Significant Event**: Rocket launch at 13:00:01 UTC ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite is Cosmos 468?  
A: Cosmos 468 is a Strela-2M-class communications satellite, part of a Soviet/Russian military communications network.  

### Q: When was Cosmos 468 launched?  
A: It was launched on December 17, 1971, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket.  

### Q: What is the COSPAR ID for Cosmos 468?  
A: The COSPAR ID is 1971-114A, assigned by the Committee on Space Research ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200386)).  

## Why It Matters  
Cosmos 468 was part of the Strela-2M satellite series, which played a critical role in Soviet military communications during the Cold War. These satellites provided secure, low-orbit communication links for military and government use, ensuring operational continuity in remote regions. Its launch demonstrated the reliability of the Kosmos-3M rocket and contributed to the Soviet Union's strategic communications infrastructure. While no longer operational, Cosmos 468 represents a key milestone in Cold War-era space technology and military communications development.  

## Notable For  
- **Military Communications**: Part of the Strela-2M network, used for secure Soviet military communications.  
- **Reliable Launch**: Successfully deployed by the Kosmos-3M rocket, a workhorse of Soviet space launches.  
- **Cold War Significance**: Contributed to the USSR's strategic communications during heightened geopolitical tensions.  

## Body  
### Launch Details  
- **Date**: December 17, 1971 ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Time**: 13:00:01 UTC ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Site**: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Rocket**: Kosmos-3M ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  

### Satellite Specifications  
- **Class**: Strela-2M ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Catalog Number**: 05705 ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **COSPAR ID**: 1971-114A ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q200386))  

### Operational Context  
- **Purpose**: Military communications ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367))  
- **Legacy**: Part of a broader Soviet effort to maintain secure orbital communications networks during the Cold War.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report