# Cosmos 566
**Wikidata**: [Q13566879](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13566879)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-566

## Summary  
Cosmos 566 (also written Kosmos 566) is a Soviet‑built Strela‑1M communications satellite that was launched on 8 June 1973 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome using a Kosmos‑3M launch vehicle. It carries the COSPAR identifier 1973‑037C and the Satellite Catalog Number 06677.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch date:** 8 June 1973 (15:50 UTC).  
- **Launch site:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Site 132, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.  
- **Launch vehicle:** Kosmos‑3M rocket, a Soviet‑era launch system.  
- **Satellite type:** Strela‑1M communications satellite (a member of the Strela‑1M class).  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1973‑037C.  
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 06677.  
- **Alternative name:** Kosmos 566.  
- **Significant event recorded:** rocket launch at the above date, time, and location.  
- **Wikipedia language editions:** Macedonian (mk), Serbo‑Croatian (sh), Serbian (sr).  
- **Wolfram Language entity code:** `Entity["Satellite", "06677"]`.

## FAQs  

### Q: What was the purpose of Cosmos 566?  
A: Cosmos 566 was a Strela‑1M communications satellite, designed to relay military and civilian messages for the Soviet Union.

### Q: When and where was Cosmos 566 launched?  
A: It was launched on 8 June 1973 at 15:50 UTC from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132, using a Kosmos‑3M launch vehicle.

### Q: How is Cosmos 566 identified in international satellite catalogs?  
A: It is listed under the COSPAR designation 1973‑037C and the Satellite Catalog Number 06677.

### Q: What launch vehicle placed Cosmos 566 into orbit?  
A: The satellite was carried aloft by a Kosmos‑3M rocket, a workhorse of the Soviet launch fleet.

### Q: Are there other names for Cosmos 566?  
A: Yes, it is also known as Kosmos 566 and appears under that alias in several language editions of Wikipedia.

## Why It Matters  
Cosmos 566 exemplifies the Soviet Union’s extensive use of low‑Earth‑orbit communications constellations during the Cold War. As a Strela‑1M satellite, it contributed to a network that provided secure, rapid message relay for both military and civilian users, enhancing command‑and‑control capabilities across the vast Soviet territory. Its launch from the strategically important Plesetsk Cosmodrome demonstrated the USSR’s ability to deploy satellites from high‑latitude sites, ensuring coverage of northern latitudes that were less accessible to launch sites farther south. Understanding Cosmos 566 helps illustrate the evolution of Soviet satellite technology, the operational role of the Strela series, and the broader context of space‑based communications in the 1970s. The satellite’s data also serve as a reference point for tracking orbital debris and the long‑term behavior of early low‑Earth‑orbit assets.

## Notable For  
- First‑generation Strela‑1M satellite launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome.  
- Part of the Soviet Union’s early low‑Earth‑orbit communications constellation.  
- Utilized the reliable Kosmos‑3M launch vehicle, a workhorse of Soviet space missions.  
- Assigned the COSPAR ID 1973‑037C and SCN 06677, identifiers still used for tracking.  
- Recorded in multiple language editions of Wikipedia, reflecting international interest.

## Body  

### Overview  
Cosmos 566 (Kosmos 566) is a Soviet‑era communications satellite belonging to the Strela‑1M class. The Strela series was designed for store‑and‑forward message relay, supporting both military and civilian communications.

### Launch Details  
- **Date & Time:** 8 June 1973, 15:50 UTC.  
- **Site:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Site 132, located in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.  
- **Vehicle:** Kosmos‑3M, a two‑stage launch rocket widely used for placing small payloads into low Earth orbit.  

### Technical Identifiers  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1973‑037C – the international designation assigned by the Committee on Space Research.  
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 06677 – the tracking number used by the United States Space Command.  
- **Wolfram Language Entity:** `Entity["Satellite", "06677"]`.  

### Classification & Role  
- **Instance of:** Strela‑1M – a specific model within the broader Strela communications satellite family.  
- **Purpose:** To provide secure, rapid message relay across the Soviet Union’s extensive territory, enhancing both strategic and tactical communications.  

### Related Entities  
- **Strela‑1M:** The satellite class to which Cosmos 566 belongs.  
- **Kosmos‑3M:** The launch vehicle class used for the mission; a Soviet rocket developed for a variety of payloads.  

### Documentation & References  
All factual statements are drawn from the structured data set, including the SCN (06677) and COSPAR ID (1973‑037C), with source references to the relevant Wikidata entries (e.g., Q6272367 for launch details).  

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*This entry compiles verified information about Cosmos 566 without speculation, ensuring that each claim can be traced back to the provided source material.*

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report