Zond 2

Zond 2 was a Soviet space probe, a member of the Zond program, and was the sixth Soviet spacecraft to attempt a flyby of Mars.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (See Exploration of Mars)<ref>Zond-2: An early attempt to touch Mars</ref> It was launched on November 30, 1964 at 13:12 UTC onboard Molniya 8K78 launch vehicle from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, USSR. The spacecraft was intended to survey Mars but lost communication before arrival.

History

Zond-2 carried a phototelevision camera of the same type later used to photograph the Moon on Zond 3. The camera system also included two ultraviolet spectrometers. As on Mars 1, an infrared spectrometer was installed to search for signs of methane on Mars.

Zond 2 also carried six Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPT) that served as actuators of the attitude control system. They were the first PPTs successfully used on a spacecraft. The PPT propulsion system was tested for 70 minutes on the 14 December 1964 when the spacecraft was 4.2 million kilometers from Earth.<ref name="Shchepetilov">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Zond 2, a Mars 3MV-4A craft, was launched on November 30, 1964. During some maneuvering in early May 1965, communications were lost. Running on half power due to the loss of one of its solar panels, the spacecraft flew by Mars on August 6, 1965 at Template:Convert, Template:Convert away from the planet.

== Scientific Instruments<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> ==

1. Radiation Detector
2. Charged Particle Detector
3. Magnetometer
4. Piezoelectric Detector
5. Radio Telescope
6. Nuclear Component of Cosmic-ray Experiment
7. Ultraviolet and Roentgen Solar Radiation Experiment
8. Imaging System

See also

• List of missions to Mars
• Chronology of Mars Missions

External links

• NASA (NSSDC) information on Zond 2
• "The Mystery of Zond 2" by Andrew Lepage, EJASA April, 1991

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