Ye-8-5/405
| Launch Date | Feb. 6, 1970 |
| Launch Site | Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Russia | Launch Site 81 |
| Destination | Earth’s Moon |
| Type | Sample Return, Lander |
| Status | Unsuccessful |
| Nation | Soviet Union |
| Alternate Names |
Goals
This was the fifth Soviet attempt to collect lunar samples and bring them to Earth.
Accomplishments
None. The booster failed and the probe never reached Earth orbit, from which it was to be launched to the Moon.
Key Dates
Feb. 6, 1970: Launch
In Depth
This attempt continued the spate of failures on the robotic lunar sample-return program. On this fifth attempt to recover soil from the Moon, the Proton booster failed to deposit its payload in Earth orbit. An erroneous command shut down the second stage at T+127 seconds, and the booster was destroyed.
Subsequently, the design organization responsible for the Proton, the TsKBM, implemented a thorough review of the Proton's performance and completed a simple suborbital diagnostic flight in August 1970 to verify corrective measures.
Spacecraft
Launch Vehicle: 8K82K + Blok D (Proton no. 247-01)
Spacecraft Mass: Unknown
- Spacecraft Instruments:
- stereo imaging system
- remote arm for sample collection
- radiation detector
Additional Resources
NSSDC Soviet Lunar Missions Page
Selected References
Siddiqi, Asif A. Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000, NASA, 2002.
