# Intercosmos 21
**Wikidata**: [Q1541111](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1541111)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/intercosmos-21

## Summary
Intercosmos 21 is an Earth observation satellite launched into orbit on 1981-02-06. It was placed into space by a Kosmos-3M rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 and is catalogued under COSPAR ID 1981-011A and SCN 12162.

## Key Facts
- Intercosmos 21 is an Earth observation satellite (an artificial satellite designed to observe Earth from orbit).
- COSPAR ID: 1981-011A.
- Satellite Catalog Number (SCN): 12162.
- Launch date: 1981-02-06.
- Launch vehicle: Kosmos-3M rocket.
- Launch site / start point: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.
- Documented launch event time: 08:00:00 (qualifier for the rocket launch on 1981-02-06).
- Wikipedia language coverage: Spanish (es), Hungarian (hu), Polish (pl), Russian (ru).
- External identifiers: Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/122hpknw; Wolfram Language entity Entity["Satellite", "12162"].
- Sitelink count (across sources provided): 4.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Intercosmos 21?
A: Intercosmos 21 is an Earth observation satellite — an artificial satellite specifically designed to observe Earth from orbit. It was launched on 1981-02-06.

### Q: When and how was Intercosmos 21 launched?
A: Intercosmos 21 was launched on 6 February 1981 aboard a Kosmos-3M rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132. The recorded launch event time is 08:00:00 (on 1981-02-06).

### Q: What are the official identifiers for Intercosmos 21?
A: The satellite’s COSPAR ID is 1981-011A and its Satellite Catalog Number (SCN) is 12162. It also appears in external reference systems such as Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/122hpknw and Wolfram Entity["Satellite","12162"].

### Q: Where can I find more information about Intercosmos 21?
A: Article coverage exists in multiple languages (Spanish, Hungarian, Polish, Russian) across linked resources, and the satellite is listed in international cataloging systems under the identifiers above.

## Why It Matters
Intercosmos 21 is part of the class of Earth observation satellites, which are instruments placed into orbit specifically to collect data and imagery about the planet. Such satellites serve broad scientific, environmental, meteorological, and mapping needs by providing a platform to observe surface, atmosphere, and other Earth systems from space. The recorded launch of Intercosmos 21 on 6 February 1981 contributes to the historical record of space-based Earth observation missions and to cumulative datasets of satellites launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome using Kosmos-series launch vehicles. Its formal catalog identifiers (COSPAR ID 1981-011A and SCN 12162) ensure it is tracked and referenced in international space object registries and databases. Presence in multiple-language references and external identifier systems indicates that Intercosmos 21 is recognized in public and technical records, supporting cross-referencing for researchers, catalogers, and archival efforts in the study of Cold War-era and early 1980s satellite missions.

## Notable For
- Being an Earth observation satellite specifically designated to observe Earth from orbit.
- Launch date and event: placed into orbit on 1981-02-06 at 08:00:00.
- Launched by a Kosmos-3M rocket from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.
- Registered under COSPAR ID 1981-011A and Satellite Catalog Number 12162.
- Documented across multiple reference systems (Wikipedia language pages in es/hu/pl/ru, Google Knowledge Graph, Wolfram Language entity).

## Body
### Identification
- Name: Intercosmos 21.
- COSPAR ID: 1981-011A.
- SCN (Satellite Catalog Number): 12162.
- External identifiers: Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/122hpknw; Wolfram Language entity Entity["Satellite", "12162"].
- Sitelink count (across provided sources): 4.

### Classification and purpose
- Instance of: Earth observation satellite.
- Class definition (as provided): an artificial satellite specifically designed to observe Earth from orbit.

### Launch details
- Launch date (point in time): 1981-02-06.
- Launch vehicle: Kosmos-3M.
- Start point / launch site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.
- Significant event recorded: rocket launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132 on 1981-02-06 with a qualifier time of 08:00:00.

### References and coverage
- The satellite is represented in multiple-language Wikipedia entries (es, hu, pl, ru).
- Cataloged in international systems (COSPAR, SCN) and present in external knowledge systems (Google Knowledge Graph, Wolfram Language).

### Recorded metadata
- Structured property scn: 12162.
- Structured property cospar_id: 1981-011A.
- Structured property launch_date: 1981-02-06.
- Structured property start_point: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 132.
- Structured property launch_vehicle: Kosmos-3M.
- Significant event qualifiers include launch location and time (08:00:00 on 1981-02-06).

(End of entry.)

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report