# Kosmos 388

> Soviet satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q53522](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q53522)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_388)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-388

## Summary
Kosmos 388 was a Soviet satellite launched on December 18, 1970. Manufactured by the Pivdenne Design Office, it belonged to the DSZ–P1–Ju class of spacecraft and was deployed using a Kosmos-2I carrier rocket. It is assigned the COSPAR ID 1970-112A.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** December 18, 1970, at 09:39:13.
- **Classification:** Instance of the DSZ–P1–Ju satellite class (specifically DS-P1-Yu No.43).
- **Manufacturer:** Pivdenne Design Office.
- **Launch Site:** Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 133.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Kosmos-2I (63SM variant implied by class/rocket pairing).
- **COSPAR ID:** 1970-112A.
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 04811.
- **Country of Origin:** Soviet Union.
- **Alternate Names:** DS-P1-Yu No.43.

## FAQs
### Q: What type of satellite was Kosmos 388?
A: Kosmos 388 was a Soviet satellite of the DSZ–P1–Yu class. It is also identified by the specific designation DS-P1-Yu No.43.

### Q: When and where was Kosmos 388 launched?
A: It was launched on December 18, 1970, at 09:39:13 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 133 in the Soviet Union.

### Q: Who manufactured Kosmos 388?
A: The satellite was manufactured by the Pivdenne Design Office.

## Why It Matters
Kosmos 388 serves as a historical data point within the extensive Soviet "Kosmos" program, which encompassed a wide variety of military and scientific satellites. As a unit of the DSZ–P1–Yu class, it represents the operational capabilities of the Soviet space industry in the early 1970s, specifically the production output of the Pivchenne Design Office. The launch utilized the Kosmos-2I carrier rocket, a vehicle that, while noted in records as a superseded design, played a significant role in the deployment of low-earth orbit satellites during that era. The mission contributes to the statistical record of space launches from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, one of the world's most active spaceports. By cataloging this entity with specific identifiers like the COSPAR ID (1970-112A) and Satellite Catalog Number (04811), space historians and tracking agencies maintain an accurate accounting of human-made objects in orbit.

## Notable For
- Being a specific unit (No. 43) within the DSZ–P1–Ju satellite series.
- Launching on the Kosmos-2I rocket, a vehicle described in records as a "superseded Soviet carrier rocket."
- Manufacturing origin: Pivchenne Design Office, a prominent Soviet/Ukrainian design bureau.
- Precise launch tracking: Recorded with an exact launch time of 09:39:13.
- Multi-language documentation: Available in 8 different Wikipedia language editions (English, Spanish, Galician, Hungarian, Macedonian, Portuguese, Serbo-Croatian, Serbian).

## Body

### Mission Overview
Kosmos 388 was a Soviet artificial satellite launched as part of the ongoing Kosmos program. Its primary designation within its specific series was DS-P1-Yu No.43. The satellite received the standard "Kosmos" designation upon reaching orbit, a common Soviet practice used to obscure the specific mission details of military or experimental satellites.

### Launch Specifications
The satellite was successfully launched on **December 18, 1970**. The launch event took place at **09:39:13** UTC. The departure point was **Site 133** at the **Plesetsk Cosmodrome**, a major launch facility located in northwestern Russia.

### Vehicle and Hardware
The launch vehicle used to deploy Kosmos 388 was the **Kosmos-2I**, a two-stage carrier rocket derived from the R-12 and R-14 ballistic missiles. The satellite itself was an **instance of the DSZ–P1–Ju class**, a type of satellite developed by the **Pivchenne Design Office** (also known as the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau).

### Identifiers and Cataloging
International and national tracking agencies catalog Kosmos 388 under the following identifiers:
- **COSPAR ID:** 1970-112A
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 04811
- **Wolfram Language Entity Code:** Entity["Satellite", "04811"]
- **Freebase ID:** /m/07kg6lq

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013