The 1960 and 1962 Soviet Mars Mission AttemptsKorolevPowerPoint PresentationLeading up to 1960Good Things for Soviets:The First Mars MissionMarsnik 1 and Marsnik 210 October 196014 October 1960one more try . . . .23 October 1960Slide 12Slide 13What caused the failures?The MV424 October 19621 November 1962Slide 184 November 1962Summary: 1960 and 1962 missionsThe 1960 and 1962 Soviet The 1960 and 1962 Soviet Mars Mission AttemptsMars Mission Attemptsby Selby Cullby Selby CullKorolevKorolev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 1Rest of 1958 = bunch of failed lunar Rest of 1958 = bunch of failed lunar missions from both US & USSRmissions from both US & USSR2 January 1959: Luna 12 January 1959: Luna 13 March 1959: Pioneer 4 from US3 March 1959: Pioneer 4 from USRest of 1959 = Luna 2 and Luna 3Rest of 1959 = Luna 2 and Luna 3and failure of Pioneer P-3 from USand failure of Pioneer P-3 from USGood 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 (3 Beat Americans in number of Moon missions (3 to 1)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 MarsUN 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 attemptMarsnik 1 and Marsnik 2Marsnik 1 and Marsnik 210 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 kmthen falls back downthen falls back downFailure = 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 kmthen falls back downthen falls back downFailure = 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, scheduled for launch on 23 October, under enormous political pressureunder enormous political pressure23 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 twoThe 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 buffalo24 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 oceanSummary: 1960 and 1962