Mars/Venus 2MV series, 1962

After the failures of the 1M and 1VA missions, a new multi-mission spacecraft was designed 1’or missions to Mars and Venus. The 2MV modular spacecraft had a mass of approximately 1,000 kg. The core of the spacecraft was a cylindrical pressurized ‘orbital’ module that had the propulsion module attached at one end and the payload at the other end. The payload could consist of either an entry probe or a pressurized module with instruments for flyby observations. Solar panels, antennas, thermal control devices, navigational sensors and several science instruments were attached to the side of the main module. The communications, attitude control and thermal control systems for the 2MV were greatly improved over the 1M and 1VA, and the same propulsion system was provided for midcourse trajectory corrections.

Four variants were designed. The 2MV-1 and 2MV-2 were Venus models, and the 2MV-3 and 2MV-4 were Mars models. The -1 and -3 versions were equipped with appropriate entry vehicles, and the -2 and -4 carried instruments for a flyby mission. Six spacecraft were launched, three to Venus (two probes and one flyby) in August and September 1962, and three to Mars (two flybys and one probe) in October and November 1962, Unfortunately all but one was lost to launch vehicle failures. The Mars 1 spacecraft launched on November 1, 1962, flew for almost 5 months before communications were lost on March 21, 1963, at what was then regarded as the vast range of 106 million kilometers from Earth. In view7 of this engineering success, the 2MV general design set a long-term precedent for Russian planetary spacecraft, particularly for Venus where this type of spacecraft was used until 1975.