3MV planetary probe
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The 3MV planetary probe (short for 3rd generation Mars-Venus) is a designation for a common design used for early Soviet unmanned probes to Mars and Venus. It was an incremental improvement of earlier 2MV probes and was used for Zond 1, Zond 1964A, Zond 2 and Zond 3 missions to Mars as well as several Venera probes. It was standard practice of the Soviet space program to use standardized components as much of possible. All probes shared the same general characteristics and differed only in equipment necessary for specific missions. Each probe also incorporated improvements based on experience with earlier missions.
[edit] Design
The probe consisted of three primary parts: The core of the stack was a pressurized compartment called Orbital Compartment. This part housed spacecraft's control electronics, radio transmitters and receivers, batteries, astro-orientation equipment, and so on. The compartment was pressurized to around 100 kPa and thermally controlled to simulate earth-like conditions, which removed the need for special electronic components that could reliable operate in extreme conditions (On Zond 1 the module depressurized in flight, severely damaging probe's systems).
Mounted on the outside of the Orbital Compartment were two solar panels which supplied the power to the spacecraft. They were folded against the body of the probe during launch and were only deployed when the craft was already on its interplanetary trajectory. On the ends of each solar panel was a hemispherical radiator which radiated excess heat from the orbital compartment into space through a coolant loop.
Also mounted on the Orbital Compartment was a 2 m parabolical high-gain antenna, used for long-range communications. Depending on the mission the probe also used other antennas (for example for communication with planet surface).
Below the Orbital Compartment was a second pressurized compartment called Planetary Compartment. Depending on the mission the Planetary Compartment either housed scientific equipment for orbital observation of the planet or was designed to detach and land on the planet surface.
Course correction capabilities were provided by a KDU 414 engine attached to the top of the Orbital Compartment. It provided maximum thrust of around 2 kN and used UDMH and nitric acid as propellants. Attitude control was achieved by several small cold gas thrusters.
The whole stack was 3.6 m high and weighted around 1000 kg.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- "The Mystery of Zond 2" by Andrew Lepage, EJASA, April 1991, retrieved on 2 December 2007
- "The overview of the Russian launches toward Venus" by Anatoly Zak, July 2007, retrieved on 2 December 2007
- "The overview of the Russian launches toward Mars" by Anatoly Zak, August 2007, retrieved on 2 December 2007
