TrailBlazer-2001-Dummy

TrailBlazer-2001-Dummy
[Kosmotras]

This is a structural mock-up of the planned TrailBlazer-2001 lunar probe and the kick motor carrying instruments to confirm down link telemetry a/c separation. It was built by ukrainian Yuzhnoye Design Office for TransOrbital, Inc. to test the deployment of larger payloads from the Dnepr-1 launch vehicle. The probe mock-up remained connected with the kick-stage mock-up.

On this launch originally the TrailBlazer-2001 lunar probe was to be launched, but it was delayed due to missing ITAR export documents. As the Dnepr-1 launch vehicle was already configured for the lunar probe, the structural test article was launched instead, being identical in mass and dimensions.