Cosmos 379

LunarOrbiter
Name=Cosmos 379


Organization=Soviet Union
Contractors=
MissionType=
LaunchDate=1970-11-24 at 11:00:00 UTC
LaunchVehicle=Soyuz 11A511L
MissionHighlight=
MissionDuration= September 21, 1983
Mass=7495 kg
NSSDC_ID=1970-099A
Web= [http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=1970-099A NASA NSSDC Master Catalog]
SatelliteOf=Earth
SemiMajor=
Eccentricity= .004161
Inclination= 51.6°
Period=88.7 m
Apo=253 km
Peri=198 km
Orbits=
LunarLandingDate=
LunarLandingCoords=
LunarLiftoffDate=
Instruments=

Cosmos 379 was a test of the LK Lander (the Soviet version of the Apollo LEM). Earth orbit simulated propulsion system operations of a nominal lunar landing mission. Cosmos 379 entered a 192 to 232 km orbit. After three days fired its motor to simulate hover and touchdown on the moon, because of the burn in earth orbit the apogee increased to 1210 km. After a simulated stay on the Moon, it increased its speed by 1.5 km/s, simulating ascent to lunar orbit making the final apogee 14,035 km. These main maneuvers were followed by a series of small adjustments simulating rendezvous and docking with the LOK. The LK Lander tested out without major problems and decayed from orbit on September 21, 1983.

Mission parameters

*Spacecraft: LK Lander
*Mass: 5500 kg
*Crew: None
*Launched: November 24, 1970
*Landed:Reentered September 21, 1983
*Orbit: 192 km

References

*Mir Hardware Heritage
** [http://ston.jsc.nasa.gov/collections/TRS/_techrep/RP1357.pdf Mir Hardware Heritage - NASA report (PDF format)]
**