Sputnik 7, launched Feb 4 1961, is known to have been a failed USSR attempt to send a probe to Venus. The third stage and probe failed to separate from the carrier, which was left in parking orbit and given the name Sputnik 7. Three objects were catalogued for this launch: 1961-002A 71 Sputnik 7 1961-002B 72 SL-6 Block I second stage 1961-002C 73 SL-6 hardware Sputnik 8, launched Feb 12 1961, was a backup for Sputnik 7, and this time the probe separated according to plan and was sent into solar orbit, where after 15 days its transmitter failed. It eventually passed silently by Venus at a distance of some 100,000 kilometers, which wasn't bad for the first-ever attempted mission to another planet. The probe was called Venera 1, and I understand it was accompanied in solar orbit by its third stage rocket body, which was not catalogued (and doesn't appear in most object lists for this launch). Four objects were catalogued for this launch, making the list altogether: 1961-003A 80 Venera 1 1961-003B 76 SL-6 Block I second stage 1961-003C 77 Sputnik 8 1961-003D 78 SL-6 hardware 1961-003E NNA SL-6 third stage My question pertains to the "hardware" left in parking orbit for both launches. Just what might these objects have been? Fairings? Spacer stages? I cannot find out anything more about them from any Internet website so far. Most sources consider them to be "debris," parts of the launch vehicle, hence the name "SL-6 hardware." Sputnik 8 itself was the platform or carrier from which Venera 1 and its third stage separated, and it seems otherwise not to have been an active payload. Also, is there a Block designation for the third stage? I'd appreciate further light anyone might shed on this issue. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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