# Cosmos 873
**Wikidata**: [Q12754040](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12754040)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cosmos-873

## Summary
Cosmos 873 is a Soviet military communications satellite launched aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket on December 7, 1976. It belongs to the Strela-1M class of low-Earth orbit communication satellites operated by the Soviet Union. The satellite was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.

## Key Facts
- Official designation: Cosmos 873
- Alternate name: Kosmos 873
- Satellite Catalog Number (SCN): 09590
- COSPAR ID: 1976-118C
- Launch date: December 7, 1976
- Launch time: 10:23:00 UTC
- Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132
- Launch vehicle: Kosmos-3M rocket
- Satellite class: Strela-1M
- Country of origin: Soviet Union

## FAQs
### Q: What is Cosmos 873?
A: Cosmos 873 is a Soviet-era military communications satellite belonging to the Strela-1M class. It was launched on December 7, 1976, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome using a Kosmos-3M rocket.

### Q: When was Cosmos 873 launched?
A: Cosmos 873 was launched on December 7, 1976, at 10:23:00 UTC.

### Q: Which country launched Cosmos 873?
A: Cosmos 873 was launched by the Soviet Union.

## Why It Matters
Cosmos 873 represents part of the Soviet Union's operational deployment of secure military communication systems during the Cold War era. As a member of the Strela-1M program, it contributed to the USSR’s strategic capability to maintain reliable, low-orbit communication links with ground forces and naval units. These satellites were designed for store-dump messaging services—receiving signals from ground stations and later transmitting them to mobile receivers—which made them particularly useful for tactical coordination in remote areas without infrastructure support. Cosmos 873 exemplifies the technological priorities and capabilities of the Soviet space-based military communications network during the mid-to-late 20th century.

## Notable For
- Part of the Strela-1M constellation used for secure military communications
- Launched during peak Cold War activity in Soviet space programs
- Operated from a low Earth orbit optimized for tactical messaging
- One of many Cosmos-designated missions under the Soviet civil-military dual-use naming system
- Represents early adoption of automated store-and-forward relay technology in military contexts

## Body
### Mission Overview
Cosmos 873 was a military communications satellite developed and operated by the Soviet Union. It formed part of the broader Strela-1M satellite series, which served as key assets in the USSR's strategic communications architecture.

### Technical Classification
The spacecraft belonged to the Strela-1M class, a group of small satellites specifically engineered for secure, store-dump communications between fixed and mobile terminals. These satellites functioned within low Earth orbits to facilitate timely delivery of encrypted messages to dispersed military units.

### Launch Details
- **Launch Date:** December 7, 1976  
- **Launch Time:** 10:23:00 UTC  
- **Launch Vehicle:** Kosmos-3M  
- **Launch Site:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Site 132  

The Kosmos-3M was a two-stage liquid-fueled carrier rocket commonly used by the Soviets for launching smaller payloads into orbit. Its use for Cosmos 873 aligns with typical mission profiles for Strela-class satellites.

### Identification and Tracking
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 09590  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1976-118C  
- **Aliases:** Kosmos 873  

These identifiers are used across international tracking databases and academic sources to uniquely reference the satellite.

### Operational Context
As part of the Strela-1M program, Cosmos 873 played a role in enhancing battlefield communications through a decentralized orbital network. Designed primarily for non-real-time message transmission, these satellites supported command structures that required high reliability over global reach.

### Historical Significance
Launched during the height of the Cold War, Cosmos 873 reflects the Soviet Union's efforts to develop self-contained, hardened communication systems independent of terrestrial infrastructure vulnerable to disruption or surveillance. This approach underscored the importance placed on maintaining strategic autonomy in military operations.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report