# Cosmos 508
**Wikidata**: [Q12907727](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12907727)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-508

## Summary
Cosmos 508 was a Soviet satellite launched on July 20, 1972, belonging to the Strela-1M class. It was deployed from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome using a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle. The satellite is identified by the COSPAR ID 1972-057E.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Cosmos 508 is an instance of the Strela-1M satellite class.
- **Launch Date:** The satellite was launched on July 20, 1972.
- **Launch Time:** The launch took place at 18:10:00 UTC.
- **Launch Site:** It was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.
- **Launch Vehicle:** The delivery system used was a Kosmos-3M rocket.
- **COSPAR ID:** Its international designator is 1972-057E.
- **Aliases:** The entity is also known as Kosmos 508.
- **Country of Origin:** The launch vehicle is associated with the Soviet Union (and later Russia).

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite was Cosmos 508?
A: Cosmos 508 was a Strela-1M class satellite. It was part of a series of Soviet spacecraft designated under the "Cosmos" program.

### Q: When and how was Cosmos 508 launched?
A: Cosmos 508 was launched on July 20, 1972, at 18:10:00 UTC. It was delivered into orbit by a Kosmos-3M rocket launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.

### Q: What is the significance of the designation "1972-057E"?
A: "1972-057E" is the COSPAR ID (Committee on Space Research International Designator) for the satellite. This unique identifier is used to track the specific object launched in the year 1972.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 508 serves as a specific data point within the history of the Soviet space program, particularly regarding the operational deployment of the Strela-1M satellite constellation. Launched in the early 1970s, this mission highlights the extensive use of the Kosmos-3M launch vehicle, a workhorse rocket used for numerous Soviet military and scientific satellites. The launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 underscores the site's role as a primary hub for these types of orbital insertions.

The mission is also a representative example of the Soviet "Cosmos" nomenclature strategy, which was used to designate a wide array of satellites, often obscuring the specific military or experimental nature of the spacecraft behind a sequential number. For researchers analyzing space flight history, launch cadence, or the specific orbital parameters of the Strela-1M series, the detailed logging of this mission—including its precise launch time and COSPAR ID—provides essential verifiable data. The existence of entries in multiple Wikipedia languages (Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, Serbian) indicates a degree of regional historical interest or recognition of the mission's context within Eastern European space records.

## Notable For
- **Strela-1M Class:** It is a documented member of the Strela-1M series of satellites.
- **Precise Launch Record:** The mission is notable for having a precisely recorded launch time (18:10:00) and specific site (Site 132).
- **Kosmos-3M Deployment:** It exemplifies the utilization of the Kosmos-3M rocket, a prominent launch vehicle of the Soviet era.
- **International Tracking:** The assignment of the COSPAR ID 1972-057E confirms its formal entry into international space object catalogs.

## Body
### Mission Overview
Cosmos 508 was launched under the Soviet space program and assigned the alternate name Kosmos 508. The mission utilized the Kosmos-3M launch vehicle, a two-stage rocket derived from the R-14 ballistic missile, which was frequently used for launching lighter payloads into Low Earth Orbit.

### Launch Specifications
The launch occurred on July 20, 1972. The specific launch window was executed at 18:10:00 UTC. The departure point was the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, specifically Site 132, a launch complex dedicated to Kosmos-3M missions. The event is formally categorized as a "rocket launch" in structured data records.

### Technical Identity
The spacecraft was identified as a unit of the Strela-1M class. In international registries, it received the COSPAR ID 1972-057E, where "1972" indicates the year of launch, "057" denotes the main mission launch sequence for that year, and "E" identifies this specific piece of hardware associated with that launch.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report