# Cosmos 816
**Wikidata**: [Q12907808](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12907808)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-816

## Summary
Cosmos 816 was a Soviet military satellite launched on April 28, 1976, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome using a Kosmos-3M rocket. It was part of the Kosmos series of Soviet and Russian military satellites. The satellite's international designation was 1976-037A and its catalog number was 08812.

## Key Facts
- Launched on April 28, 1976, at 13:30:00 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132
- Catalog number: 08812
- International designation (COSPAR ID): 1976-037A
- Launch vehicle: Kosmos-3M rocket
- Classified as a Kosmos military satellite
- Available in Macedonian (mk), Serbo-Croatian (sh), and Serbian (sr) Wikipedia editions
- Wolfram Language entity code: Entity["Satellite", "08812"]

### Q: What was Cosmos 816?
A: Cosmos 816 was a Soviet military satellite launched in 1976 as part of the Kosmos series. It was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome using a Kosmos-3M rocket.

### Q: When and where was Cosmos 816 launched?
A: Cosmos 816 was launched on April 28, 1976, at 13:30:00 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 in the Soviet Union.

### Q: What type of satellite was Cosmos 816?
A: Cosmos 816 was a military satellite, classified as part of the Kosmos series of Soviet and Russian military satellites.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 816 represents a significant component of the Soviet Union's military space program during the Cold War era. As part of the extensive Kosmos series, it contributed to the Soviet military's reconnaissance, communications, and surveillance capabilities from space. The Kosmos-3M rocket that launched it was a reliable workhorse of the Soviet space program, having launched hundreds of satellites from Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Military satellites like Cosmos 816 played crucial roles in providing strategic intelligence, monitoring treaty compliance, and supporting military operations. The launch also demonstrates the Soviet Union's advanced space capabilities in the mid-1970s, maintaining technological parity with the United States in military space applications.

## Notable For
- Part of the extensive Kosmos series of Soviet military satellites
- Launched using the reliable Kosmos-3M rocket
- Launched from the strategic Plesetsk Cosmodrome
- Contributed to Soviet military space capabilities during the Cold War
- Has international documentation in multiple Slavic languages

## Body
### Launch Details
Cosmos 816 was launched on April 28, 1976, at exactly 13:30:00 UTC from Site 132 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. The Plesetsk Cosmodrome, located in northern Russia, was the Soviet Union's primary launch site for military and polar-orbiting satellites.

### Technical Specifications
The satellite was launched using a Kosmos-3M rocket, a liquid-fueled two-stage launch vehicle that was widely used by the Soviet Union and later Russia for deploying small satellites into low Earth orbit. The Kosmos-3M had a payload capacity of approximately 1,200 kg to low Earth orbit.

### Classification and Purpose
As a Kosmos-series satellite, Cosmos 816 was classified as a military satellite. The Kosmos designation was used for a wide variety of Soviet and Russian satellites, most of which served military purposes including reconnaissance, signals intelligence, navigation, and communications.

### Documentation and Recognition
Cosmos 816 is documented in international satellite catalogs with the designation 1976-037A and catalog number 08812. The satellite has entries in multiple Wikipedia language editions, specifically Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, and Serbian, reflecting its recognition in Eastern European and Slavic language communities.

### Historical Context
The launch of Cosmos 816 occurred during a period of intense space competition between the Soviet Union and the United States. Military satellites were crucial for maintaining strategic advantages during the Cold War, providing capabilities for surveillance, early warning, and secure communications.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report