COSMOS 1309, also known as Kosmos-1309, is a reconnaissance satellite launched on September 18, 1981, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Launch Site PLMSC, Launch Pad LC43/3, using the Soyuz-U launch vehicle. The spacecraft has a Zenit-4MT bus configuration and was manufactured by TSSKB. It measures 6.5 meters in length with a diameter of 2.4 meters and a span of 6.5 meters, featuring a sphere + DCone shape. The satellite has a dry mass of 2200 kg and was powered by batteries. Its mission involves reconnaissance through photo film return. The Orion No. 22L payload is equipped for this purpose. The satellite's owner is VTS, and it was launched with the same launch mass as its dry mass.