E-6LS n°112

Launch Failure

Liftoff Time (GMT)

10:43:54

Wednesday February 7, 1968

Mission Details

Launch Notes

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.

E-6LS n°112

Wiki

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.

Lunar orbit

1 Payload

1,700 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Molniya-M/Block L

Active 1965 to 1975

RKK Energiya logo

Manufacturer

RKK Energiya

Rocket

Height: 44.23m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 6,200 kg

GTO: 2,400 kg

Liftoff Thrust

4,391 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 2.58m

Height: 6.74m

Stages

4

Strap-ons

4

Launch Site

Site 1/5

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Fastest Turnaround

23 hr 32 min

Stats

Molniya-M


11th

Mission

1st

Mission of 1968

RKK Energiya


297th

Mission

4th

Mission of 1968

1968


10th

Orbital launch attempt