E-3, 1 | 15 April 1960 | 8K72, L1-9 | The third stage's (Block-E) RO-5 engine shut down prematurely or did not reach full thrust. After reaching a distance of about 200,000 km from the Earth the spacecraft fell back and burned on re-entry into the atmosphere. |
E-3, 2 | 16 April 1960 | 8K72, L1-9A | During ignition the engine 8D74 of strap-on booster B reached only 75 percent of thrust level. At T+0.4 sec the unit B broke away from the A core unit due to abnormal loads. The launcher fell apart during ascent. The cause lay in incomplete opening of the fine-tuning reducer's vent or in plugging of the pintle valve of the reducer's line. |