NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Failure

E-6LS n°112

Launch Time
Wed Feb 07, 1968 10:43 UTC

During third stage flight, a fuel valve or inlet became stuck, resulting in the gas generator consuming fuel at a higher rate then normal. The rocket ran out of fuel 524.6 seconds after launch, and consequently failed to reach orbit.

Rocket

Molniya-M/Block L
RVSN USSR
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 4,391 kN
Payload to LEO: 6,200 kg
Payload to GTO: 2,400 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 44.23 m
Fairing Diameter: 2.58 m
Fairing Height: 6.74 m

Mission Details

E-6LS n°112

E-6LS n°112, sometimes identified by NASA as Luna 1968A, was a Soviet spacecraft which was lost in a launch failure in 1968. It was a 1,700-kilogram (3,700 lb) Luna E-6LS spacecraft, the second of three to be launched. The spacecraft was intended to enter Selenocentric orbit, where it would study the Moon, and demonstrate technology for future manned Lunar missions.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,700.0 kg
Lunar orbit

Location

Site 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Stats

1968

10th orbital launch attempt

Molniya-M

11th mission
1st mission of 1968
2nd failed mission