I am cross-posting this from the Historical Spaceflight section:
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=48902.0I have been debating whether to post this here or to put it in the Q&A section or simply put it in the Russian section on here. Since it is about history I have decided to post the piece here and then keep fingers crossed.
The Zenit-2 and Zenit-4 were the Soviet Union's first series of photoreconnaissance satellites, first flying in 1961 (briefly - the launch vehicle failed!) and 1963 respectively. Both satellites were designed and developed by Korolyov's bureau but at some time during the 1964-1965 period the manufacture and further development of these satellites was handed over to Kozlov's team in Samara.
Are there any Russian publications which specifically say (a) when the Zenit-2 and Zenit-4 productions were passed to Samara (probably not at the same time) and (b) which were the first Samara-manufactured Zenit-2 and Zenit-4 satellites to be launched? Chertok's memoirs say that the development of testing of Zenit-4 was done within the Korolyov bureau, so maybe it was only passed to Samara when the system was declared to be operational, sometime after the Zenit-2 had made the transition?
Of course, it could be that such precise information has not been published by the Russians - I am willing to believe that.
One other thing. The majority of the photoreconnaissance satellite series had what I call "Ministry names": for example, the Zenit-2M was Gektor and Zenit-4M Rotor. However no Ministry names appear to have been assigned to Zenit-2 and Zenit-4. Was this simply because the practice of using such names had not been established in 1961-1963 when the launches started in these programmes?
Any gap-filling or thoughts would be appreciated, please.
As far as I read in Russian publications, the first Samara-built Zenit 2 was lost in the launch failure of 1 Jun 1962, and the first successful one was Kosmos-9. Again, the first Zenit-4 made in Samara was lost in launch failure of 7 Sep 1964.
As far as I read in Russian publications, the first Samara-built Zenit 2 was lost in the launch failure of 1 Jun 1962, and the first successful one was Kosmos-9. Again, the first Zenit-4 made in Samara was lost in launch failure of 7 Sep 1964.
Thank you Igor. Clearly the Samara Zenit-2s started much earlier in the programme than I had thought. Were all of the Zenit-2s starting with Cosmos 9 from Samara or was there a period where both OKB-1 and Samara were producing the satellites?
Just been cross-checking and I do not see the September 7, 1964 failure listed anywhere ....... ? I certainly don't have a launch on that date. Maybe it's dangerous to keep going so far back in time! The first Zenit-4 launch failure that I have is from May 1966
I have heard nothing of a failure in September 1964. (Zenit 4)
Kosmos 45 was launched 1964 Sep 13.
1964 Sep 7 was that possibly a launchabort?
I have heard nothing of a failure in September 1964. (Zenit 4)
Kosmos 45 was launched 1964 Sep 13.
1964 Sep 7 was that possibly a launch abort?
Agreed, I was already wondering about that.
Just to get everything on this thread, here is Bart Hendrickx's reply that was posted on the "Historical" thread.
https://www.samspace.ru/upload/iblock/835/kosmicheskoe_apparatostroenie.pdf
According to RKTs Progress' satellite history (link above, p. 20) the first Zenit-2 serially built by the Progress factory in Kuibyshev was Kosmos-9, launched on 27 September 1962.
On p. 21 the text says:
"On 16 November 1963 the first Zenit-4 was launched... In 1964, beginning with satellite nr. 14, serial production and development of automated low-orbiting remote sensing satellites (read : photorecon) was turned over to branch nr. 3 of OKB-1, headed by D.I. Kozlov, and to the Kuibyshev factory Progress".
Not sure if nr. 14 is a Zenit-2 or Zenit-4. Should check further.
I have Zenit-2 #14 being the satellite involved in the launch failure of November 28, 1963: Zenit-4 #14 as Cosmos 109, launched in 1966.
Just been cross-checking and I do not see the September 7, 1964 failure listed anywhere ....... ? I certainly don't have a launch on that date. Maybe it's dangerous to keep going so far back in time! The first Zenit-4 launch failure that I have is from May 1966
That's correct -- a launch abort. Chertok was a source for this.
Do we know whether the September 7 abort was the same satellite which flew as Cosmos 45? Or did it fly a different mission?
I cannot recall reference to the abort on Chertok's books - which I am currently re-reading. However, my sight limitations means that I am reading them on my Kindle which isn't the best platform for trying to search for something! Of course, I have the paper volumes but I find it difficult to read them while holding a magnifying glass ........
I have heard nothing of a failure in September 1964. (Zenit 4)
Kosmos 45 was launched 1964 Sep 13.
1964 Sep 7 was that possibly a launch abort?
Agreed, I was already wondering about that.
under
http://www.astronautix.com/z/zenit-4.html"1964 September 9...Voskhod preparations...The launch of a Zenit-4 spy satellite, that uses the same launch vehicle as planned for Voskhod, has aborted on the pad after the Block A strap-on* failed to ignite."
Wade's source Kamanin (Diaries?)
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*But from
JBIS Nov 1998
The Kamanin Diaries 1964-1966 p. 419 it reads in part: "...the shutdown of a Vostok rocket's Block A central stage engine on the launch pad in early September..."
