# Cosmos 493
**Wikidata**: [Q13566865](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13566865)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-493

## Summary
Cosmos 493 (also Kosmos 493) was a Soviet Zenit 2M reconnaissance (spy) satellite launched on 1972-06-21. It was deployed on a Voskhod launch vehicle from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.

## Key Facts
- Cosmos 493 is also known by the alias Kosmos 493.
- Spacecraft catalogue number (SCN): 06053.
- COSPAR ID: 1972-042A.
- Instance of: Zenit 2M class (a Soviet spy satellite).
- Launch date (UTC): 1972-06-21.
- Launch time (qualifier): 06:25:00 on 1972-06-21.
- Launch vehicle: Voskhod (used by the Soviet launch program).
- Launch site / start point: Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.
- Significant event recorded: rocket launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31 on 1972-06-21 at 06:25:00.
- Recorded sitelink count: 3; available Wikipedia language links: mk, sh, sr.

## FAQs
### Q: What was Cosmos 493?
A: Cosmos 493 was a Soviet reconnaissance satellite of the Zenit 2M class, launched as part of the Soviet spy-satellite program.

### Q: When and from where was Cosmos 493 launched?
A: Cosmos 493 was launched on 21 June 1972 at 06:25:00 (qualified time) from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.

### Q: What identifiers are associated with Cosmos 493?
A: Its COSPAR identifier is 1972-042A and its spacecraft catalogue number (SCN) is 06053; it is also cataloged under the alias Kosmos 493.

### Q: What launch vehicle placed Cosmos 493 into orbit?
A: Cosmos 493 was launched on a Voskhod-class launch vehicle.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 493 is part of the Zenit 2M series, a family of Soviet reconnaissance satellites that formed a core element of the USSR's early space-based intelligence capabilities. As a Zenit 2M instance, Cosmos 493 contributed to routine photographic and reconnaissance missions that supported strategic and tactical intelligence needs during the Cold War era. Its launch from Baikonur Site 31 on a Voskhod rocket exemplifies standard Soviet launch operations of the period and reflects the operational use of the Voskhod vehicle for uncrewed payloads in addition to its association with crewed spacecraft programs. Even with limited public detail on individual mission outcomes, cataloged identifiers such as COSPAR and SCN make Cosmos 493 a traceable node in historical satellite records, useful for researchers mapping the progression of Soviet reconnaissance technology, launch cadence, and space infrastructure usage.

## Notable For
- Being an instance of the Zenit 2M class, a Soviet-era reconnaissance (spy) satellite type.
- Launch on 1972-06-21 from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.
- Use of the Voskhod launch vehicle for deployment.
- Distinct catalog identifiers: COSPAR 1972-042A and SCN 06053.
- Recorded in multiple Wikipedia language editions (mk, sh, sr), indicating multilingual documentation.

## Body
### Identifiers
- COSPAR ID: 1972-042A.
- SCN (spacecraft catalogue number): 06053.
- Alias: Kosmos 493.
- Sitelink count reported: 3 (Wikipedia entries in mk, sh, sr).

### Classification and purpose
- Instance of: Zenit 2M class.
- The Zenit 2M class is documented here as a Soviet spy satellite type.

### Launch details
- Launch date: 1972-06-21.
- Launch event: rocket launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.
- Launch time (qualified): 06:25:00 on 1972-06-21.
- Launch vehicle: Voskhod (associated with the Soviet launch program).
- Start point: Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.

### Relationships and context
- Related vehicle/class entries in source material:
  - Zenit 2M — classified as a Soviet spy satellite.
  - Voskhod — listed as a launch vehicle used by the Soviet Union; Voskhod is also the name of a Soviet crewed spacecraft series (distinct uses of the name are recorded).

### Documentation
- Source metadata indicates references for cataloging and launch details (structured entries correspond to archival identifiers used in satellite registries).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report