Cosmos 419

Launch Failure

Liftoff Time (GMT)

16:58:42

Monday May 10, 1971

Mission Details

Launch Notes

The Proton launcher performed normally, but the Block D failed to place the probe on the planned Martian transfer trajectory.

Cosmos 419

Wiki

Cosmos 419, also known as 3MS n°170 was a failed Soviet spacecraft intended to visit Mars. The spacecraft was launched on 10 May 1971, however due to an upper stage malfunction it failed to depart low Earth orbit. In 1971, Mars was at its closest to Earth since 1956 and in May of that year both the Soviet Union and the United States made new attempts to reach the Red Planet. Kosmos 419 was intended to overtake the United States probes, Mariner 8 and Mariner 9, in the aim of becoming the first Mars orbiter. As it was, Mariner 8 was lost in a launch failure two days before Kosmos 419 was launched, and Mariner 9 went on to become the first spacecraft to orbit Mars.

Heliocentric Orbit

1 Payload

4,549 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Proton-K/Block D

Active 1967 to 1976

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center logo

Manufacturer

Khrunichev

Rocket

Height: 56.14m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 18,900 kg

GTO: 9,000 kg

Liftoff Thrust

8,840 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 3.9m

Height: 8.9m

Stages

4

Launch Site

Site 81/23

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Fastest Turnaround

11 days 23 hours

Stats

Proton-K


27th

Mission

2nd

Mission of 1971

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center


577th

Mission

30th

Mission of 1971

1971


46th

Orbital launch attempt