# Kosmos 2050

> Russian military early warning satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q3399251](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3399251)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_2050)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-2050

## Summary
Kosmos 2050 is a Russian military early warning satellite launched in 1989 as part of the Soviet US-K early warning satellite series. It was designed to detect ballistic missile launches and provide early warning of potential nuclear attacks to Soviet authorities.

## Key Facts
- Kosmos 2050 is classified as a US-K satellite, a series of Soviet and Russian early warning satellites
- It was launched on November 23, 1989, at 20:35:44
- The satellite was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16 using a Molniya-M rocket
- Its COSPAR ID is 1989-091A
- It has SCN value 20330 and Freebase ID /m/0jwz902
- It has Wikipedia articles in English, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, and Serbian
- Its Wolfram Language Entity Code is Entity["Satellite", "20330"]

## FAQs
### Q: What is the purpose of Kosmos 2050?
A: Kosmos 2050 is a military early warning satellite designed to detect ballistic missile launches and provide early warning of potential nuclear attacks to Soviet authorities.

### Q: When and where was Kosmos 2050 launched?
A: Kosmos 2050 was launched on November 23, 1989, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16 at 20:35:44 using a Molniya-M rocket.

### Q: What satellite class does Kosmos 2050 belong to?
A: Kosmos 2050 belongs to the US-K class, which is a series of Soviet and Russian early warning satellites.

## Why It Matters
Kosmos 2050 represents a critical component of Soviet early warning defense systems during the late Cold War period. As part of the US-K satellite series, it played a vital role in monitoring potential missile threats from adversaries, helping to maintain strategic stability during a tense geopolitical period. These early warning satellites are essential for national defense, providing the first line of detection against ballistic missile attacks that could otherwise lead to catastrophic nuclear responses. The ability to detect launches quickly allows for timely decision-making in potential crisis situations, potentially preventing the escalation of conflicts.

## Notable For
- Being part of the US-K early warning satellite series, which has been a cornerstone of Soviet/Russian missile defense since the Cold War
- Launching during a critical period in late Cold War geopolitics (November 1989)
- Having its own unique COSPAR identifier (1989-091A) and SCN number (20330)
- Having multilingual Wikipedia presence in 5 different languages (English, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, and Serbian)
- Being launched using the Molniya-M rocket, a specialized Soviet space launcher optimized for high-inclination orbits

## Body
### Overview
Kosmos 2050 is a Russian military early warning satellite that was part of the Soviet space program. It belongs to the US-K class of satellites, which are specifically designed for early detection of ballistic missile launches.

### Launch Details
- Launch Date: November 23, 1989
- Launch Time: 20:35:44
- Launch Site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 16
- Launch Vehicle: Molniya-M rocket
- COSPAR ID: 1989-091A

### Identification
- SCN: 20330
- Freebase ID: /m/0jwz902
- Wolfram Language Entity Code: Entity["Satellite", "20330"]

### Classification
- Instance of: US-K (Soviet and Russian early warning satellite series)
- Aliases: Kosmos 2050

### Documentation
- Wikipedia Title: Kosmos 2050
- Wikipedia Languages: English, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbo-Croatian, Serbian
- Sitelink Count: 5

### Technical Information
The Molniya-M rocket used for the launch of Kosmos 2050 was a Soviet space launcher rocket optimized for high-inclination orbits, which is necessary for early warning satellites to have global coverage for detecting missile launches.

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report