On September 15, 1968, the Soviet Union launched Zond 5 on a trajectory that took the probe around the Moon and back to Earth. It splashed down in the Indian Ocean on September 21, 1968, and was recovered by the Russians. Zond 5 carried a biological payload that included two Russian tortoises, fruit flies, mealworms, plants, seeds, bacteria, and other living organisms. After orbiting the Moon, it returned to Earth six days later. The success of Zond 5 increased pressure on the U.S. Apollo program to achieve its landing goal in 1969. There was speculation within NASA and the media that the Soviets might be preparing to launch cosmonauts on a similar circumlunar mission before the end of 1968.
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| A Zond 5 launch cover postmarked in Tartu with a hand cancel on September 16, 1968, one day after the spacecraft’s launch. |
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| Photo: An image of Earth captured by Zond-5 on September 21, 1968. |
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| A Zond 5 recovery cover postmarked in Tartu with a hand cancel on September 22, 1968, one day after the spacecraft’s recovery. |
(Reference from
Zond 5)
