LAUNCH MISSION
KhSC Proton-K/D-2 Mars-96
Status
Success
DATE
16 NOV 1996
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Launch Pad
200/39 (200L)
Description
The Mars 96 spacecraft was launched into Earth orbit, but failed to achieve insertion into Mars cruise trajectory and re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at about 00:45 to 01:30 UT on 17 November 1996 and crashed within a presumed 320 km by 80 km area which includes parts of the Pacific Ocean, Chile, and Bolivia. The cause of the crash is not known.
Proton-K/D-2
Rocket Description
The Proton-K was a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.