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the spacecraft and three were left behind on the Moon. Four solid rocket hold-down motors, with upward-pointing nozzles, were fired at touchdown to help ensure that the L3 would not tumble on contact with the irregular lunar surface.[1] Landing gear designed to contend with a lateral velocity of 1 m/sec at touchdown on hard soil with a 20° slope. Cg adjustments possible by redistribution of water in the tanks of the evaporator cooling system.[2] Had an oval hatch designed to accomodate the cosmonaut’s

special Krechet lunar space suit.[3][4] Left only its landing legs, landing radar, and a few other components behind on the Moon. Unlike the Apollo LM, which used separate descent and ascent propulsion systems, the L3 used the same main propulsion system for final descent and ascent. At liftoff from the lunar surface both the main and backup propulsion systems were activated. If both systems were found to be operating normally, the backup system was then shut down (figure 1-17).[5] L3 drogue docking unit extremely simple and tolerant of misalign

-ment. It was a 100-cm aluminum plate, containing 108 recessed hexagons, each 6 cm in diameter. In the nominal mission it would be used only after the L3 ascended from the lunar surface. The L2’s docking probe (Aktiv unit) had only to enter one of the hexagons to create a connection firm enough to allow the L3 cosmonaut to complete a space walk back to the L2 spacecraft. A flat aluminum apron protected the top of the L3 from damage in the event of gross misalignment by the L2. The combined L2/L3 docking system was called Kontakt.[6][7]

1.6.3 L3 Mission Descriptions^[8]

Dates are launch to approximate end of maneuvers. Current status is given in the text.

	Cosmos 379	November 24, 1970-about December 1, 1970
	The first L3 test flight (in T2K form) in Earth orbit simulated propulsion system operations of a nominal lunar landing mission. Cosmos 379 entered a 192 to 232 km orbit. Three days later it fired its motor to simulate hover and touchdown, in the process increasing its apogee to 1210 km. After a simulated stay on the Moon, it increased its speed by 1.5 km/sec, simulating ascent to lunar orbit. Final apogee was 14,035 km. The spacecraft reentered on September 21, 1983.

	Cosmos 398	February 26, 1971-about March 3, 1971
	This T2K flight successfully tested L3 contingency modes. It was in a 1811 km by 185 km orbit as of March 31, 1994.

	Launch failure	June 27, 1971
	The third flight of the N-1 rocket carried mockup L2 and L3 vehicles. They crashed near the launch pad when the N-1 broke apart (see section 1.5.3).

	Cosmos 434	August 12, 1971-about August 18, 1971
	The final test of the L3 in unmanned T2K form was as successful as the first two. The flight was a test of L3 contingency modes. Cosmos 434 performed the longest burn of the three T2K tests. It finished in a 186 km by 11,804 km orbit. The imminent decay from orbit of Cosmos 434 in 1980-1981 raised fears that it might carry nuclear fuel. These fears were lent urgency by memories of the recent reentry of the Soviet Cosmos 954 nuclear-powered

1. Filin, p. 22.
2. Filin, p. 24.
3. Filin, p. 20.
4. Luc van den Abeleen, “Soviet Lunar Landing Programme,” Spaceflight, March 1994, p. 90.
5. Filin, p. 20.
6. van den Abeelen, p. 90.
7. Afanasyev, 1991, p. 13.
8. van den Abeelen, p. 90.