Ye-8-5 n°402

The Ye-8-5 is a version of the Ye-8 to drill a small sample of lunar soil and return it to earth. This could be launched in coordination with the L3S. Although not a manned lunar landing, it would provide a Soviet crew in orbit around the moon, and return of lunar soil to earth, nearly matching the Apollo mission. The last chance to upstage the Americans was a combined launch of the N1-L3S and Ye-8-5 before Apollo 11 in July.