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Zond (L1E)
Kosmos 382 (L1E)
The two L1E satellites were test missions for the L1 and Blok-D systems for lunar missions in high elliptical earth orbit.
The payload stack consisted of a reduced L1 type spacecraft attached to a heavily instrumented Blok-D upper stage. The L1 spacecraft did not have a heat shield for reentry and remained intentionally attached to the upper stage. The Blok-D stage was fitted with cameras in the tanks to monitor the fuel and oxidizer behaviour in weightlessness and during acceleration.
The first L1E mission did not reach orbit due to a failure of the Proton launch vehicle.
The second one was successfully orbited and named Kosmos 382. Over the course of 5 days, the Blok-D was ignited three times to raise the initial ~190 km × ~300 km × 51.6° orbit to a final 2577 km × 5082 km × 55.87° orbit to simulate the lunar orbit insertion burn, the lunar orbit circularization burn and the descent burn to bring the LK lunar lander just over the surface.
| Nation: | USSR |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Technology |
| Operator: | |
| Contractors: | |
| Equipment: | |
| Configuration: | 7K-L1E with Blok-D |
| Propulsion: | KTDU-53 |
| Power: | Batteries |
| Lifetime: | 5 days ? |
| Mass: | |
| Orbit: | 2577 km × 5082 km, 55.87° (final) |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kosmos (313) (L1E 1) | 1969-F14 | 28.11.1969 | Ba LC-81/23 | F | Proton-K Blok-D | |
| Kosmos 382 (L1E 2K) | 1970-103A | 02.12.1970 | Ba LC-81/23 | Proton-K Blok-D |
References:
- Phillip S. Clark: "Obscure unmanned Soviet satellite missions", Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, September 1993; p 371-380.
