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The Zond program was a series of Soviet unmanned space missions from 1964 to 1970 to test spacecraft intended for manned flights around the moon. While the lunar mission was the mission's primary goal from 1968 on, the first three missions of the program . However, it was only when the race to the moon intensified that missions 4 through 8 became the main test flights for manned circumlunar flight: the first three missions were intended to gather information about Venus and Mars. "Zond" is simply Russian for generic "probe" and covered different vehicle designs.The Soyuz 7K-L1 spacecraft was used for the moon-aimed missions, stripped down to make it possible to launch around the moon from the earth. They were launched on the proton rocket which was just powerful enough to send the Zond on a free return trajectory around the moon without going into lunar orbit (the same as Apollo 13 flew in its emergency abort). It could have carried 1 or 2 Cosmonauts.
There were serious reliability problems with both the Proton rocket and the new Soyuz, but the test flights pressed ahead with some glitches. The September 1968 flight was the reason NASA flew Apollo 8 to the moon in December 1968 instead of the Earth orbital test which had been planned because the CIA knew what the Russians were planning to do. Had Apollo 8 not flown when it did, it is possible the Russians would have been the first to fly around the moon in late 1968 or early 1969.
Instrumentation flown on these missions gathered data on micrometeor flux, solar and cosmic rays, magnetic fieldIn physics, a magnetic field is an entity produced by moving electric charges ( electric currents) that exerts a force on other moving charges. The quantum-mechanical spin of a particle produces magnetic fields and is acted on by them as though it were as, radio emissions, and solar windA solar wind is a stream of particles (mostly high-energy protons ~ 500 keV) which are ejected from the upper atmosphere of a star. In the solar system, the composition of this plasma is identical to the Sun's corona, 73% hydrogen and 25% helium with the. Biological payloads were also flown and many photographs were taken.
1 Timetable
- Zond 1Zond 1 a member of the Soviet Zond program, was the second Soviet research spacecraft to successfully reach position Venus. However, like the previous "success," the Venera 1, communications from the satellite failed before it reached Venus. The spacecraf
- Launched April 4April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). There are 271 days remaining. Events 1581 Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. 1721 Sir Robert Walpole enters office as, 1964
- Communications lost May 14May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). There are 231 days remaining. Events 1264 Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the de facto ruler of England. 1483 Coronat, 1964
- Achieved Venus orbit July 14July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. Events 1223 In France, Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father, Philip II of France. 1789 French Revolution: Citizens of, 1964
- Zond 2Zond 2 a member of the Soviet Zond program, was the first Soviet spacecraft to make a successful flyby of Mars. Unfortunately, contact was lost with the craft before it reached the planet, preventing any data from being gathered. Zond 2, a Mars 3MV-4A cra
- Launched November 30November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 31 days remaining. Events 1782 American Revolutionary War: In Paris, representatives from the United States and the Kingdom of Great Britain sign prelimina, 1964
- Communications lost May, 1965
- Mars flyby August 6, 1965
- Zond 3
- Zond 4
- Zond 5
- Zond 6
- Zond 7
- Zond 8
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