# Intercosmos 20
**Wikidata**: [Q1097412](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1097412)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/intercosmos-20

## Summary
Intercosmos 20 is an Earth observation satellite launched on 1979-11-01. It was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket and is catalogued under COSPAR ID 1979-096A and SCN 11609.

## Key Facts
- Intercosmos 20 is classified as an Earth observation satellite.
- COSPAR ID: 1979-096A.
- SCN (Satellite Catalog Number): 11609.
- Launch date: 1979-11-01.
- Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.
- Launch vehicle: Kosmos-3M.
- Recorded significant event: rocket launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 at 08:05:00 on 1979-11-01.
- External identifiers: Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/1216fqrl and Wolfram Language entity code Entity["Satellite","11609"].
- Wikipedia language coverage (existing pages): Spanish (es), Hungarian (hu), Polish (pl), Russian (ru).

## FAQs
### Q: What is Intercosmos 20?
A: Intercosmos 20 is an Earth observation satellite that was launched on 1 November 1979 and is identified by COSPAR ID 1979-096A and SCN 11609.

### Q: When and from where was Intercosmos 20 launched?
A: Intercosmos 20 was launched on 1979-11-01 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132. The recorded launch time for the associated rocket event is 08:05:00 on that date.

### Q: Which rocket launched Intercosmos 20?
A: The satellite was launched aboard a Kosmos-3M launch vehicle.

### Q: How is Intercosmos 20 identified in data systems?
A: It is identified by COSPAR ID 1979-096A, SCN 11609, Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/1216fqrl, and Wolfram Language entity code Entity["Satellite","11609"].

## Why It Matters
Intercosmos 20 is part of the class of artificial satellites dedicated to Earth observation, and its 1979 launch reflects the ongoing deployment of space-based observation capability during that era. As an Earth observation satellite, it belongs to systems used to monitor Earth from orbit—applications commonly include atmospheric, surface, and environmental monitoring. The mission also documents the operational use of the Kosmos-3M launch vehicle and Plesetsk Cosmodrome infrastructure, demonstrating mid-20th-century Soviet launch capacity. Its cataloguing with COSPAR and satellite catalog numbers ensures it is tracked and referenced in international space object registries and scientific tools (for example, via Google Knowledge Graph and Wolfram identifiers), supporting historical research, data cross-referencing, and archival retrieval.

## Notable For
- Being an Earth observation satellite launched on 1979-11-01 (COSPAR 1979-096A).
- Assigned SCN 11609 in satellite catalogs.
- Launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 at 08:05:00 (recorded launch event).
- Launched using the Kosmos-3M launch vehicle.
- Presence in multiple data systems: Google Knowledge Graph and Wolfram Language entity codes, and Wikipedia entries in several languages.

## Body

### Identification
- COSPAR identifier: 1979-096A.
- Satellite catalog number (SCN): 11609.
- Instance/class: Earth observation satellite.
- External database identifiers: Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/1216fqrl; Wolfram Language entity code Entity["Satellite","11609"].

### Launch details
- Launch date: 1979-11-01.
- Launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.
- Launch vehicle: Kosmos-3M (a Russian/Soviet launch vehicle class).
- Recorded significant event: a rocket launch event at Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 with a time qualifier of 08:05:00 on 1979-11-01.

### Classification and role
- Classified as an Earth observation satellite, i.e., an artificial satellite designed to observe Earth from orbit.

### Cataloging and references
- SCN 11609 is the satellite catalog number associated with Intercosmos 20.
- COSPAR 1979-096A is the international designator for the satellite.
- The satellite is represented in knowledge and computational resources (Google Knowledge Graph and Wolfram Language).

### Language and public records
- Wikipedia entries for Intercosmos 20 exist in at least four languages: Spanish, Hungarian, Polish, and Russian.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report