Kosmos 159 (Ye-6LS No.111), a Soviet lunar-program tracking and communications test based on the E-6 bus for the manned lunar effort. Molniya-M from Baikonur launched it on 16 May 1967, but Blok L shut down early and left it in a ~350×60,600 km Earth orbit instead of the planned high apogee.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- LO
- Lunar orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 2.2 T (est.)
- Flight
- 8th
- of 272 Molniya-M 2BL flights
- Date and time
- 16 May 1967, 21:43 UTC
- Rocket
- Molniya-M 2BL
- Builder
- Progress RSC
- Launch site
- 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
- Payload
- Lunar Exploration
- International designator
- 1967-046
- Launches in 1967
- 50th of 139
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
View satellites in Space Atlas