# Cosmos 59
**Wikidata**: [Q1119686](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1119686)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-59

## Summary
Cosmos 59 was a Soviet Zenit-4 reconnaissance satellite launched on March 7, 1965. It was deployed into orbit using a Voskhod launch vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The mission is identified by the international designation 1965-015A and the satellite catalog number 01191.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Cosmos 59 is an instance of the **Zenit-4**, a class of Soviet reconnaissance satellites.
- **Launch Date:** The satellite was launched on **March 7, 1965**.
- **Launch Time:** The rocket launch occurred at **08:59:28**.
- **Launch Site:** It lifted off from **Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31**.
- **Launch Vehicle:** The satellite was propelled by a **Voskhod** launch vehicle.
- **COSPAR ID:** The international designation for this entity is **1965-015A**.
- **Satellite Catalog Number:** The US Space Command identification number is **01191**.
- **Aliases:** The satellite is also known as **Kosmos 59**.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite was Cosmos 59?
A: Cosmos 59 was a Zenit-4 satellite, which falls under the classification of Soviet reconnaissance satellites designed for earth observation.

### Q: When and where was Cosmos 59 launched?
A: It was launched on March 7, 1965, at 08:59:28 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Cosmos 59?
A: The satellite was launched aboard a Voskhod rocket, a Russian launch vehicle utilized during the Soviet era.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 59 represents a specific data point in the history of the Soviet space program, particularly regarding military reconnaissance efforts during the Cold War. As a Zenit-4 satellite, it belongs to a class of spacecraft specifically designed for gathering intelligence and photographic imagery from orbit. The mission highlights the operational tempo of the Soviet Union in 1965, utilizing the Voskhod launch vehicle—derived from technology used for crewed spacecraft—to deploy uncrewed military assets.

The entry also illustrates the Soviet naming convention of the era, where military and scientific satellites were often obfuscated under the generic "Cosmos" (or Kosmos) designation to limit public knowledge regarding specific mission objectives. The use of Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31 for this launch further emphasizes the site's role as a primary hub for the Soviet space fleet, supporting both the Zenit-4 program and the Voskhod launch system.

## Notable For
- **Reconnaissance Classification:** Being a confirmed unit of the Zenit-4 class, explicitly designated for Soviet reconnaissance.
- **Specific Launch Infrastructure:** Utilizing Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31, a prominent launch complex distinct from the more commonly cited "Gagarin's Start" (Site 1).
- **Dual-Purpose Launch Vehicle:** Deployment via the Voskhod rocket, a vehicle family that also supported Soviet crewed spaceflight missions.
- **Precise Historical Record:** The mission possesses a precisely recorded launch time (08:59:28), allowing for accurate historical tracking.

## Body

### Mission Profile and Classification
Cosmos 59 was an artificial satellite operating under the designation of the Zenit-4 class. This classification groups the entity with other Soviet reconnaissance satellites developed during this period. The primary function of this class was optical reconnaissance.

### Launch Operations
The significant event for Cosmos 59 was a rocket launch initiated on March 7, 1965.
*   **Date and Time:** The launch occurred precisely at 08:59:28.
*   **Location:** The start point for the mission was Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 31.
*   **Vehicle:** The launch vehicle used to insert the satellite into its trajectory was the Voskhod.

### Technical Identifiers
To facilitate tracking and identification in global space catalogs, Cosmos 59 is associated with the following technical codes:
*   **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 01191
*   **COSPAR International Designator:** 1965-015A
*   **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/120yxp5w
*   **Wolfram Language Entity Code:** Entity["Satellite", "01191"]

### Nomenclature
The entity is officially recorded as "Cosmos 59" but accepts "Kosmos 59" as a valid alias. It is covered in Wikipedia entries across five languages: Hungarian (hu), Macedonian (mk), Polish (pl), Serbo-Croatian (sh), and Serbian (sr).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report