| Mission type | Test flight |
|---|---|
| Operator | Soviet space program |
| COSPAR ID | 1967-021A |
| SATCATno. | 02705 |
| Mission duration | 8 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Soyuz 7K-L1 No. 2P |
| Spacecraft type | Soyuz 7K-L1 |
| Manufacturer | OKB-1 |
| Launch mass | 5375 kg[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 10 March 1967, 11:30:33 GMT |
| Rocket | Proton-K /Blok D |
| Launch site | Baikonur,Site 81/23 |
| Contractor | OKB-1 |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Deorbited |
| Decay date | March 18, 1967 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric[2][a] |
| Regime | Highly elliptical Earth[a] |
| Periapsis altitude | 177 km[a] |
| Apoapsis altitude | 296 km[a] |
| Inclination | 51.5°[a] |
| Period | 89.2 minutes[a] |
| Epoch | 10 March 1967 |
a Presumably, this is initial orbit information. | |
Kosmos 146 (Russian:Космос 146,lit. 'Cosmos 146'), also known asSoyuz 7K-L1 No. 2P, was a Soviet test spacecraft precursor to theZond series, launched from theBaikonur Cosmodrome aboard the inaugural flight of theProton-K rocket, an improved version of the Proton, which had been launched four times before.[3]
The spacecraft was designed to launch a crew from the Earth to conduct a flyby of the Moon and return to Earth. The primary focus was a Sovietcircumlunar flight, which help document the Moon, and also show Soviet power. The test ran from the Zond program from 1967 to 1970, which produced multiple failures in the7K-L1's re-entry systems. The remaining 7K-L1s were scrapped, ultimately replaced by theSoyuz 7K-L3.[4]
Kosmos 146 was a Soviet test precursor to the Zond series, launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome aboard a Proton K rocket. It was launched into a plannedhighly elliptical Earth orbit. TheBlok D stage functioned correctly in putting the spacecraft into a translunar trajectory. It was not aimed at the Moon and no recovery of the spacecraft was planned or attempted. It was a successful mission that created false confidence just before a string of failures that would follow.[1]
Kosmos 146 was launched using aProton-K carrier rocket, which flew fromSite 81/23 atBaikonur. The launch occurred at 11:30:33 GMT on 10 March 1967 and was successful. Kosmos 146 was operated in an Earth orbit, it had a perigee of 177 kilometres (110 mi), an apogee of 296 kilometres (184 mi), an inclination of 51.5° and an orbital period of 89.2 minutes. Kosmos 146decayed from orbit on 18 March 1967.[2]
By the time the spacecraft was launched, the United States had already deployed prototypes of their lunar vehicle (AS-201,AS-202,AS-203) inlow earth orbit. The United States flight tests came to a halt when the crew ofApollo 1 was killed by a fire in thecommand module two months before the launch of Kosmos 146.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.| 3MV based missions |  | |
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| Soyuz 7K-L1/L1S | ||
| Other | ||
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