Sputnik 24
Encyclopedia
Mars 2MV-3 No.1 also known as Sputnik 24 in the West, was a Soviet
spacecraft, which was launched in 1962 as part of the Mars programme, and was intended to land on the surface of Mars
. Due to a problem with the rocket which launched it, it did not depart low Earth orbit
, and it decayed several days later. It was the only Mars 2MV-3 spacecraft to be launched.
The 890 kilograms (1,962.1 lb) Mars 2MV-3 No.1 spacecraft was launched at 15:35:15 UTC on 4 November 1962, atop a Molniya
8K78 carrier rocket flying from Site 1/5
at the Baikonur Cosmodrome
. About 260 seconds into the flight the oxidiser pressurisation system malfunctioned, resulting in cavitation
within the feed lines and turbopump. The same problem developed in the propellant feed lines thirty two seconds later. Although the lower stages of the rocket were still able to place the upper stage and payload into a low Earth orbit
, vibrations caused by either the cavitation problem, or a separate problem with the next stage, caused a fuse
to become dislodged in the electrical system controlling the upper stage engine. This prevented the Blok L upper stage igniting, leaving the spacecraft in its parking orbit
. It decayed from orbit the next day, however some debris remained in orbit until 27 December, and the upper stage ullage motor
platform remained in orbit until 19 January 1963.
The designations Sputnik 31, and later Sputnik 24, were used by the United States Naval Space Command to identify the spacecraft in its Satellite Situation Summary documents, since the Soviet Union did not release the internal designations of its spacecraft at that time, and had not assigned it an official name due to its failure to depart geocentric orbit
.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
spacecraft, which was launched in 1962 as part of the Mars programme, and was intended to land on the surface of Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. Due to a problem with the rocket which launched it, it did not depart low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
, and it decayed several days later. It was the only Mars 2MV-3 spacecraft to be launched.
The 890 kilograms (1,962.1 lb) Mars 2MV-3 No.1 spacecraft was launched at 15:35:15 UTC on 4 November 1962, atop a Molniya
Molniya (rocket)
Molniya 8K78 was a modification of the well-known R-7 Semyorka rocket and had four stages.This derivative of the original three stage Vostok rocket was especially designed to bring high flying satellites into orbit or to launch probes to other planets. The first launch of this rocket was on...
8K78 carrier rocket flying from Site 1/5
Gagarin's Start
Gagarin's Start is a launch site at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, used for the Soviet space program and now managed by the Russian Federal Space Agency....
at the Baikonur Cosmodrome
Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level...
. About 260 seconds into the flight the oxidiser pressurisation system malfunctioned, resulting in cavitation
Cavitation
Cavitation is the formation and then immediate implosion of cavities in a liquidi.e. small liquid-free zones that are the consequence of forces acting upon the liquid...
within the feed lines and turbopump. The same problem developed in the propellant feed lines thirty two seconds later. Although the lower stages of the rocket were still able to place the upper stage and payload into a low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
, vibrations caused by either the cavitation problem, or a separate problem with the next stage, caused a fuse
Fuse
The word fuse has several meanings:* Fuse , a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current....
to become dislodged in the electrical system controlling the upper stage engine. This prevented the Blok L upper stage igniting, leaving the spacecraft in its parking orbit
Parking orbit
A parking orbit is a temporary orbit used during the launch of a satellite or other space probe. A launch vehicle boosts into the parking orbit, then coasts for a while, then fires again to enter the final desired trajectory...
. It decayed from orbit the next day, however some debris remained in orbit until 27 December, and the upper stage ullage motor
Ullage motor
Ullage motors are relatively small, independently-fueled rocket engines that may be fired to accelerate the rocket prior to main engine ignition, when the vehicle is in a zero-g situation....
platform remained in orbit until 19 January 1963.
The designations Sputnik 31, and later Sputnik 24, were used by the United States Naval Space Command to identify the spacecraft in its Satellite Situation Summary documents, since the Soviet Union did not release the internal designations of its spacecraft at that time, and had not assigned it an official name due to its failure to depart geocentric orbit
Geocentric orbit
A geocentric orbit involves any object orbiting the Earth, such as the Moon or artificial satellites. Currently there are approximately 2,465 artificial satellites orbiting the Earth and 6,216 pieces of space debris as tracked by the Goddard Space Flight Center...
.