Zond 8
Zond 8 — the last Soviet test flight around the Moon (October 1970). It photographed Earth from about 65,000 km and passed 1,110 km from the Moon on 24 October. Unlike its predecessors it came back over the northern hemisphere; its guidance failed and it made a ballistic re-entry, but it splashed down safely in the Indian Ocean on 27 October.
Key facts
Mission & specifications
Mission
- Operator
- TsKBEM (USSR)
- Launched
- October 20, 1970
- Status
- Completed
Mission
Zond 8 was the last of the Soviet flights around the Moon, launched on 20 October 1970. By then the race was over — Apollo 8 had flown around the Moon in December 1968 — and the flight was a final rehearsal. It photographed Earth from about 65,000 km, then passed 1,110 km from the Moon on 24 October, taking pictures in two sessions. Unlike its predecessors it came home over the northern hemisphere, which let Soviet tracking stations follow it almost continuously. Its guidance failed on the way back, and it made a ballistic re-entry instead of a guided one. It splashed down safely in the Indian Ocean on 27 October, 24 km from its target point, and was recovered.
- 1970Zond 8 launches toward the Moon on a Proton rocketLaunch
The last Soviet flight around the Moon.
Photographing the Moon in two sessions.
After a ballistic re-entry over the northern hemisphere.
Images
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