The 1960 and 1962 Soviet The 1960 and 1962 Soviet Mars Mission AttemptsMars Mission Attempts

by Selby Cullby Selby Cull

KorolevKorolev

Sent to Kolyma gold mine prison Sent to Kolyma gold mine prison camp during Stalin’s purges, camp during Stalin’s purges, convicted of “subversion in a new convicted of “subversion in a new field of technology”field of technology” the Kolyma prison, in Siberia, had the Kolyma prison, in Siberia, had

one of the highest death rates one of the highest death rates among Stalin’s gulags: an average among Stalin’s gulags: an average of 200,000 prisoners died there of 200,000 prisoners died there every year--- 30% of the prison’s every year--- 30% of the prison’s populationpopulation

Korolev survived, but lost all his Korolev survived, but lost all his teeth, suffered a broken jaw, nearly teeth, suffered a broken jaw, nearly died of scurvy, and acquired a died of scurvy, and acquired a serious heart condition that would serious heart condition that would eventually cause his death.eventually cause his death.

Leading up to 1960Leading up to 1960

4 October 1957: Sputnik 1 4 October 1957: Sputnik 1 1 February 1958: US launches Explorer 11 February 1958: US launches Explorer 1Rest of 1958 = bunch of failed lunar Rest of 1958 = bunch of failed lunar

missions from both US & USSRmissions from both US & USSR2 January 1959: Luna 12 January 1959: Luna 13 March 1959: Pioneer 4 from US3 March 1959: Pioneer 4 from USRest of 1959 = Luna 2 and Luna 3Rest of 1959 = Luna 2 and Luna 3

and failure of Pioneer P-3 from USand failure of Pioneer P-3 from US

Good Things for Soviets:Good Things for Soviets:

Beat Americans by being first into orbitBeat Americans by being first into orbit

Beat Americans by being first to the MoonBeat Americans by being first to the Moon

Beat Americans in number of Moon missions Beat Americans in number of Moon missions (3 to 1)(3 to 1)

Khrushchev thinks: Khrushchev thinks: why not beat Americans to why not beat Americans to Mars?Mars?

The First Mars MissionThe First Mars Mission

1960: Khrushchev orders Korolev 1960: Khrushchev orders Korolev to produce a fly-by of Marsto produce a fly-by of MarsUN meeting!UN meeting!

Khrushchev then places Field Khrushchev then places Field Marshal Mistrofan Nedelin in Marshal Mistrofan Nedelin in charge of the Mars attemptcharge of the Mars attempt

Marsnik 1 and Marsnik 2Marsnik 1 and Marsnik 2

10 October 196010 October 1960

Marsnik 1 launches atop a Marsnik 1 launches atop a Sapwood (R-7) rocketSapwood (R-7) rocket

third stage boosters failthird stage boosters fail rocket glides up to 120 kmrocket glides up to 120 km

then falls back downthen falls back down

Failure = due to rocket.Failure = due to rocket.

Khrushchev = not pleased.Khrushchev = not pleased.

14 October 196014 October 1960

Marsnik 2 launches atop a Marsnik 2 launches atop a Sapwood (R-7) rocketSapwood (R-7) rocket

third stage boosters failthird stage boosters fail rocket glides up to 120 kmrocket glides up to 120 km

then falls back downthen falls back down

Failure = due to rocket.Failure = due to rocket.

Khrushchev = livid.Khrushchev = livid.

one more try . . . . one more try . . . .

prototype readiedprototype readied

scheduled for launch on 23 October, under scheduled for launch on 23 October, under enormous political pressureenormous political pressure

23 October 196023 October 1960 Those present for launch:Those present for launch:

Mikhail Yangel (Korolev’s chief deputy)Mikhail Yangel (Korolev’s chief deputy) General Nikolai Pavlovsky (Deputy Chief of Staff of the Soviet Armed General Nikolai Pavlovsky (Deputy Chief of Staff of the Soviet Armed

Forces)Forces) Dmitri Yefremov (leader of the Soviet nuclear science program) Dmitri Yefremov (leader of the Soviet nuclear science program) Ivan Gvay (one of Russia’s top rocketry experts) Ivan Gvay (one of Russia’s top rocketry experts)

What caused the failures?What caused the failures?

Marsnik 1: faulty fuel feed system in Marsnik 1: faulty fuel feed system in Sapwood rocket’s third stage boostersSapwood rocket’s third stage boosters

Marsnik 2: same problemMarsnik 2: same problem

Third Probe: cause of explosion unknown . Third Probe: cause of explosion unknown . . . . but the Sapwood had the same . . . but the Sapwood had the same problems as the first twoproblems as the first two

The MV4The MV4

designed to explore designed to explore Mars or VenusMars or Venus

heaviest planetary heaviest planetary probe at the time probe at the time (~900 kg)(~900 kg)about the weight of about the weight of

a large buffaloa large buffalo

24 October 196224 October 1962

SL-6 Molniya rocket (pictured left) SL-6 Molniya rocket (pictured left) used to launch the fourth Soviet used to launch the fourth Soviet attempt at a Mars probeattempt at a Mars probe

(BTW: Cuban Missile Crisis began (BTW: Cuban Missile Crisis began 18 October, ended 29 October)18 October, ended 29 October)

1 November 19621 November 1962

Mars 1 probe Mars 1 probe launched atop launched atop another SL-6 another SL-6 Molniya rocketMolniya rocket

Actually left Actually left Earth orbit & Earth orbit & headed for headed for Mars!Mars!

. . . . only to malfunction on 21 March 1963.. . . . only to malfunction on 21 March 1963.

A breakdown of the probe’s orientation A breakdown of the probe’s orientation system ended up pointing the transmitters system ended up pointing the transmitters away from Earth, and contact was lost. away from Earth, and contact was lost.

Mars 1 probably passed by Mars, but there’s Mars 1 probably passed by Mars, but there’s no way to know. no way to know.

4 November 19624 November 1962

Last of the 1962 Mars attempts was Last of the 1962 Mars attempts was launched atop another SL-6 Molniya launched atop another SL-6 Molniya rocket. rocket.

It blew up in Earth orbit, and pieces It blew up in Earth orbit, and pieces eventually reentered the atmosphere and eventually reentered the atmosphere and landed in the oceanlanded in the ocean

Summary: 1960 and 1962 missionsSummary: 1960 and 1962 missions

19601960Marsnik 1 = launch failureMarsnik 1 = launch failureMarsnik 2 = launch failureMarsnik 2 = launch failure third probe = exploded on launch padthird probe = exploded on launch pad

19621962MV4-1 = blew up in atmosphereMV4-1 = blew up in atmosphereMars 1 = contact lost en route to MarsMars 1 = contact lost en route to MarsMV4-2 = blew up in atmosphereMV4-2 = blew up in atmosphere