Zond 2

Zond 2, a member of the Soviet Zond program, was the fifth Soviet spacecraft to attempt a flyby of Mars. (See Exploration of Mars)

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 PPTs that served as actuators of the attitude control system. They were the first PPTs used on a spacecraft. The PPT propulsion system was tested during 70 minutes.

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 5.62 km/s, 1,500 km away from the planet.

External References

* [http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=1964-078C NASA (NSSDC) information on Zond 2]
* [ftp://ftp.seds.org/pub/info/newsletters/ejasa/1991/jasa9104.txt "The Mystery of Zond 2" by Andrew Lepage, EJASA April, 1991]

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