Space Rescue: Ensuring the Safety of Manned Spacecraft (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration) by Shayler David

Author:Shayler David
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-06-11T04:11:00+00:00

• February 21, 1969 the first Ni launch vehicle was planned on this date to launch a Zond spacecraft to the Moon. However, just 70 seconds into the mission with two of the 30 first-stage engines already shut down, all 28 remaining engines were shut down causing the vehicle to deviate from its flight plan and once again the launch escape system to activate. Apparent incorrect ground testing of the engine management system had resulted in an erroneous signal on engine No. 12 and its direct opposite No. 24. Then excessive vibrations ruptured the fuel line of engine No. 12 causing a fire that shut off the system and all engines.

• July 3, 1969 the second launch of the Ni fared worse; despite all 30 engines igniting as planned, it rose only 200 m off the pad before foreign objects were sucked into the No. 8 engine initiating an explosion that destroyed several other engines depriving the vehicle of the requisite lift-off thrust and seriously damaging the pad as well. Weighing 250 tonnes the whole vehicle exploded throwing chunks of hot molten metal towards Earth with debris falling 10 km from the pad due to the velocity and force of the explosion. A disastrous incident, thankfully free of fatalities, was only partially balanced by the success once again of the launch escape system which at T+ 14.5s into the mission pushed the Zond Descent Module clear of an impending fireball and landing the module safely 2 km away; had a crew been onboard they would probably have survived the traumatic event. It was another bitter blow to the Soviet manned lunar program at the time of the historic success of the Apollo 11 mission two weeks later.

• November 23, 1972 the third Ni was launched on June 27, 1971 with a dummy spacecraft and launch escape tower, but again the vehicle failed in flight at 51 seconds into the mission, as the escape tower was a mock-up and could not be fired. The 1972 launch attempt involved an upgraded Ni, and this time it managed to fly higher and faster than any other vehicle of the type, but at 90 seconds into the flight it too ended in a ball of fame. Apparently, engine No. 4 had caught fire followed by an explosion in the tail of the vehicle, resulting in a huge explosion just seconds before the ignition of the second stage. The escape system fired; once again, had a crew been aboard they would probably have survived.

Though another launch was planned, improvements to the vehicle and changes to the Soviet manned lunar program in light of the American successes were not enough to prevent suspension of the program in 1974 and its complete cancellation in 1976. The focus of Soviet manned space ambitions were now centered on the creation of permanent manned space stations. Soviet cosmonauts may not have reached the Moon but their safety had been clearly demonstrated by the escape system which had ejected the crew

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