When did the Soviet Union launch Zond 5?
The Soviet Union launched Zond 5 on the 14th of September 1968. This mission followed a string of failures in their lunar program.
Questions about Zond 5
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Which animals flew aboard Zond 5 during the 1968 spaceflight?
Two Russian tortoises named Chertan and Malysh flew aboard the spacecraft. Each animal weighed approximately 0.7 kilograms before the journey began.
Where did the Zond 5 reentry capsule splash down after returning from the Moon?
The reentry capsule splashed down in the Indian Ocean on the 21st of September. Nighttime conditions impaired recovery efforts significantly.
What happened to the tortoises Chertan and Malysh after the Zond 5 mission ended?
Tortoise Chertan lost 10% of its body weight during the trip while Tortoise Malysh also experienced similar weight loss over the same period. Dissection occurred on the 11th of October after thirty-nine days of starvation.
Why did American intelligence agencies intercept transmissions claiming cosmonauts were aboard Zond 5?
On the 19th of September 1968, voices appeared to come from the spacecraft which Jodrell Bank Observatory and the CIA intercepted as claims that cosmonauts were aboard. The hoax created real turmoil within U.S. intelligence circles during the height of the Cold War.