# Kosmos 1687

> Russian military early warning satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q3398232](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3398232)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_1687)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-1687

## Summary
Kosmos 1687 was a Russian military early warning satellite launched on September 30, 1985. As part of the Soviet and Russian US-K series, its primary mission was to detect missile launches. It was deployed into orbit using a Molniya-M rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** Russian military early warning satellite.
- **Classification:** Member of the US-K series (Oko) of early warning satellites.
- **Launch Date:** September 30, 1985.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Molniya-M (Soviet space launcher rocket).
- **Launch Site:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16.
- **COSPAR ID:** 1985-088A.
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 16103.
- **Launch Time:** 19:23:20 (UTC).
- **Significant Event:** Rocket launch.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the primary function of Kosmos 1687?
A: Kosmos 1687 served as a military early warning satellite. It was part of a Soviet and Russian network designed to detect the launch of enemy missiles.

### Q: When and how was Kosmos 1687 launched?
A: Kosmos 1687 was launched on September 30, 1985, at 19:23:20 UTC. It was delivered to orbit by a Molniya-M launch vehicle from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16.

### Q: What series does Kosmos 1687 belong to?
A: Kosmos 1687 belongs to the US-K class of satellites. This series consists of Soviet and Russian spacecraft dedicated to early warning missions.

## Why It Matters
Kosmos 1687 represents a specific operational unit within the Cold War-era Soviet space defense infrastructure. Launched in the mid-1980s, it illustrates the continuous effort by the Soviet Union and later Russia to maintain a space-based surveillance network capable of detecting global missile launches. As a component of the US-K series, this satellite contributed to the strategic stability of the era by providing essential data for early warning systems, a critical aspect of national defense doctrine.

The deployment of Kosmos 1687 also highlights the reliance on the Molniya-M rocket, a workhorse of the Soviet space program, for placing defense assets into highly elliptical orbits typical for early warning and communication satellites. The specific launch from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16 further emphasizes the site's role as a primary hub for military space launches. By cataloging this entity, analysts can better understand the density and timeline of satellite constellations used for global monitoring during the 1980s.

## Notable For
- Being a distinct unit within the **US-K series** of early warning satellites.
- Utilizing the **Molniya-M** launch vehicle, a standard for Soviet military and planetary missions.
- Launching from **Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16**, a specialized launch complex.
- Serving as a **Russian military** asset identified by the designation "Kosmos," a name used to obscure the military nature of Soviet defense satellites.
- Having a precise recorded launch time of **19:23:20**, allowing for accurate orbital tracking history.

## Body
### Mission and Classification
Kosmos 1687 was identified as a Russian military early warning satellite. Its classification falls under the **US-K** series (also known by the cover name "Oko"), which comprises a constellation of satellites developed by the Soviet Union and operated by Russia to detect ballistic missile launches via infrared sensors.

### Launch Details
The satellite was successfully launched on **September 30, 1985**. The launch took place at the **Plesetsk Cosmodrome**, specifically from **Site 16**. The launch window was executed with precision at **19:23:20** UTC.

The launch vehicle used to propel Kosmos 1687 into orbit was the **Molniya-M**, a four-stage rocket derived from the R-7 Semyorka family. This rocket was frequently used for military and lunar/planetary missions requiring high-energy orbits.

### Orbital and Administrative Identifiers
For tracking and cataloging purposes, Kosmos 1687 is assigned the following identifiers:
- **COSPAR ID:** 1985-088A
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 16103
- **Wolfram Language Entity Code:** `Entity["Satellite", "16103"]`

The satellite is recorded in academic and public databases including Wikipedia (available in English, Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, and Serbian) and Freebase (ID: `/m/0jwztl5`).

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report