# Kosmos 656

> unmanned test flight of the Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft

**Wikidata**: [Q917058](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q917058)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_656)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-656

## Summary

Kosmos 656 was a Soyuz 7K-T.[1]

## Summary
Kosmos 656 was an unmanned test flight of the Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft, launched by the Soviet Union on May 27, 1974. This mission served to test the second generation Soyuz spacecraft before crewed operations, operating for just two days before atmospheric entry.

## Key Facts
- Kosmos 656 was launched on May 27, 1974 from Gagarin's Start using a Soyuz launch vehicle.
- It was part of the Soyuz 7K-T class, representing the second generation of Soyuz spacecraft.
- The spacecraft had a mass of 6675 kilograms and a diameter of 2.72 meters.
- Kosmos 656 operated in an orbit with an apoapsis of 354 km, periapsis of 194 km, inclination of 51.63°, and orbital period of 89.7 minutes.
- It was manufactured by S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia with serial number 07313.
- The mission concluded with atmospheric entry on May 29, 1974, just two days after launch.
- Kosmos 656 has the COSPAR identifier 1974-036A and Freebase ID /m/0ds7x13.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Kosmos 656?
A: Kosmos 656 was an unmanned test flight of the Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft, intended to test systems and procedures before crewed missions using this second-generation Soyuz spacecraft.

### Q: How long did the Kosmos 656 mission last?
A: The Kosmos 656 mission lasted from launch on May 27, 1974 to atmospheric entry on May 29, 1974, a total of just two days.

### Q: What was the significance of the Soyuz 7K-T design?
A: The Soyuz 7K-T was the second generation of Soyuz spacecraft, featuring improvements over earlier versions and serving as the basis for subsequent Soyuz variants used in Soviet and later Russian space programs.

### Q: Where was Kosmos 656 launched from?
A: Kosmos 656 was launched from Gagarin's Start, a historic launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Soviet Union.

## Why It Matters
Kosmos 656 represents a critical phase in the development of Soviet space technology, specifically the evolution of the Soyuz spacecraft program. As an unmanned test flight of the Soyuz 7K-T variant, it provided essential data and validation for subsequent crewed missions. The mission contributed to the reliability testing of spacecraft systems, orbital mechanics, and re-entry procedures at a time when the Soviet space program was developing its capabilities for long-duration human spaceflight. Although short-lived, Kosmos 656 was part of a series of test missions that helped ensure the safety and success of cosmonauts on future Soyuz flights, which became the backbone of Soviet and later Russian human space exploration.

## Notable For
- Being an unmanned test flight specifically for the Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft variant before crewed missions.
- Having the short operational duration of just two days from launch to atmospheric entry.
- Operating in an orbit with a relatively low eccentricity (0.01202), indicating a nearly circular orbit.
- Representing the serial number 07313 in the Soyuz production sequence.
- Being the subject of documentation in multiple Wikipedia languages (bg, de, en, es, gl, hu, id, ja, lv, mk), indicating its significance in international space history documentation.

## Body
### Mission Overview
Kosmos 656 was an unmanned test flight of the Soyuz 7K-T spacecraft, launched by the Soviet Union on May 27, 1974. The mission launched from Gagarin's Start at 07:25:00 and concluded with atmospheric entry on May 29, 1974, giving it an operational duration of just two days.

### Technical Specifications
- Mass: 6675 kilograms
- Diameter: 2.72 meters
- Orbital parameters:
  - Apoapsis: 354 kilometers
  - Periapsis: 194 kilometers
  - Orbital inclination: 51.63 degrees
  - Orbital eccentricity: 0.01202
  - Orbital period: 89.7 minutes
- Serial number: 07313
- COSPAR identifier: 1974-036A
- Freebase ID: /m/0ds7x13

### Manufacturing and Launch
Kosmos 656 was manufactured by S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, the primary Soviet spacecraft manufacturer at the time. It was launched using a Soyuz launch vehicle from the Gagarin's Start launch facility. The spacecraft represented the Soyuz 7K-T class, which was the second generation of Soyuz spacecraft designed for the Soviet space program.

### Documentation and References
The mission has been documented in multiple Wikipedia languages including Bulgarian, German, English, Spanish, Galician, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Latvian, and Macedonian. Its specifications and mission data are referenced in both Wikidata and academic sources, with details available through the Wolfram Language entity code Entity["Satellite", "07313"].

## References

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