Zond 6

Zond 6
Names Soyuz 7K-L1 s/n 12
Mission type Planetary Science
Operator Lavochkin
COSPAR ID 1968-101A
SATCAT no. 03535
Mission duration 37 days
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer NPO Energia Company
Launch mass 5,375 kg (11,850 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date 19:11:31, November 10, 1968 (1968-11-10T19:11:31)
Rocket Proton-K/11S824
Launch site Baikonur 81/26
End of mission
Disposal Crash landed
Landing date November 17, 1968 (1968-11-17)
Landing site Kazakhstan, USSR
Orbital parameters
Perigee 120 km (75 mi)
Apogee 400,000 km (250,000 mi)
Inclination 51.5°
Period 500 days
Flyby of Moon
Closest approach November 14, 1968
Distance 2,420 km (1,500 mi)

Zond 6, a formal member of the Soviet Zond program and unmanned version of Soyuz 7K-L1 manned moon-flyby spacecraft, was launched on a lunar flyby mission from a parent satellite (68-101B) in Earth parking orbit. The spacecraft, which carried scientific probes including cosmic ray and micrometeoroid detectors, photography equipment, and a biological payload, was a precursor to a manned circumlunar flight which the Soviets hoped could occur in December 1968, beating the American Apollo 8. However, after orbiting the Moon Zond 6 crashed on its return to Earth due to a parachute failure.

Mission

Zond 6 was the official designation for Soyuz 7K-L1 s/n 12. It was supposed to photograph the Moon in colour and in black and white from 8000 km and 2600 km ranges, then return to Earth, landing at Tyuratam only 16 km from the launch pad. It had been a long and difficult road to develop the L1 guidance system, but it worked perfectly that time.

Zond 6 flew around the Moon on 14 November 1968, at a minimum distance of 2420 km. Photographs of the lunar near side and far side were obtained with panchromatic film. Each photo was 5 by 7 in (130 by 180 mm). Some of the views allowed for stereo pictures. The photos were taken from distances of approximately 11,000 km and 3300 km. However, only one negative was recovered from the camera container.

Zond 6 used a relatively uncommon technique called "skip reentry" to shed velocity upon returning to Earth. A few hours before reentry, on 17 November 1968, a faulty O-ring rubber gasket caused the cabin to depressurise, killing all the animal test subjects aboard. Zond 6's parachutes also deployed too early and it crashed in Kazakhstan, near the designated landing area.

For propaganda reasons the Soviets claimed the flight was a success. A State Commission investigating the crash later determined that the coronal discharge effect which caused the parachute to jettison would only occur at the 25 mm capsule pressure. If the capsule had been completely depressurised to a high vacuum, the accident would not have occurred.

Details

See also

This article was originally based on material from NASA (NSSDC) information on Zond 6

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