# Kosmos 305

> failed Soviet lunar sample-return mission

**Wikidata**: [Q554526](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q554526)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_305)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-305

## Summary  
Kosmos 305 was a Soviet artificial satellite launched on 22 October 1969 as part of a lunar sample‑return program, but the mission failed to achieve its objective. It was placed into orbit by a Proton‑K carrier rocket from Baikonur’s Site 81/24 and is catalogued under the COSPAR identifier 1969‑092A.

## Key Facts  
- **Mission type:** Failed lunar sample‑return attempt (artificial satellite).  
- **Launch date:** 22 October 1969.  
- **Launch site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 81/24, Kazakhstan.  
- **Launch vehicle:** Proton‑K carrier rocket.  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1969‑092A.  
- **SCN (Wolfram) code:** 04150.  
- **Aliases:** Also listed as “Kosmos 305”.  
- **Instance of:** Artificial satellite (human‑made object placed in orbit).  
- **Significant event:** Rocket launch from Baikonur on 22 Oct 1969.  
- **Wikidata description:** “failed Soviet lunar sample‑return mission”.  

## FAQs  

### Q: What was the purpose of Kosmos 305?  
A: Kosmos 305 was intended to return lunar material to Earth as part of the Soviet Union’s lunar sample‑return program, but the mission did not succeed.

### Q: When and how was Kosmos 305 launched?  
A: It was launched on 22 October 1969 aboard a Proton‑K rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome’s Site 81/24.

### Q: Did Kosmos 305 ever return any lunar samples?  
A: No. The mission failed, and no lunar samples were recovered.

### Q: What is the COSPAR identifier for Kosmos 305?  
A: The satellite’s COSPAR ID is 1969‑092A.

### Q: Is Kosmos 305 still in orbit today?  
A: The entry does not specify its current status; only the launch and failure are recorded.

## Why It Matters  
Kosmos 305 represents a pivotal moment in Cold‑War space competition, illustrating the Soviet Union’s ambition to achieve a lunar sample‑return—a capability later demonstrated by the United States with Apollo missions. Although the mission failed, it contributed technical lessons that informed subsequent Soviet lunar and planetary endeavors. Understanding Kosmos 305 helps historians trace the evolution of lunar exploration strategies, the development of heavy‑lift launch vehicles like the Proton‑K, and the broader narrative of how early space programs tackled the formidable challenges of deep‑space sample acquisition. Its story underscores the trial‑and‑error nature of pioneering spaceflight and the incremental progress that eventually led to successful extraterrestrial sample returns.

## Notable For  
- **First Soviet attempt** to return lunar material using the Kosmos series designation.  
- **Launch on a Proton‑K**, one of the Soviet Union’s most powerful rockets of the era.  
- **Catalogued under COSPAR 1969‑092A**, linking it to the international satellite tracking system.  
- **Part of the broader Kosmos program**, which encompassed a wide range of military and scientific satellites.  
- **Illustrates the challenges** of early lunar sample‑return missions, providing a contrast to later successful missions.

## Body  

### Mission Overview  
Kosmos 305 was part of the Soviet lunar sample‑return effort during the late 1960s. The mission’s objective was to land on the Moon, collect regolith, and return the material to Earth for scientific analysis. The satellite was designated “Kosmos 305” in line with the Soviet practice of using the Kosmos series for a variety of missions, including those that did not achieve their primary goals.

### Launch Details  
- **Date & Time:** 22 October 1969.  
- **Launch Vehicle:** Proton‑K, a heavy‑lift launch rocket developed by the Soviet Union.  
- **Launch Site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 81/24, a primary Soviet launch complex for interplanetary missions.  
- **Launch Outcome:** The rocket successfully placed the spacecraft into Earth orbit, but the mission failed to proceed to lunar injection and sample return.

### Technical Identifiers  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1969‑092A – the international designation used for tracking space objects.  
- **SCN (Wolfram Language) Code:** 04150 – a unique identifier within Wolfram’s satellite database.  
- **Freebase ID:** /m/026d7yk – a legacy identifier from the now‑defunct Freebase knowledge base.  

### Mission Failure  
The failure occurred after orbital insertion; the spacecraft did not execute the necessary burns to travel to the Moon, nor did it perform the sample‑collection sequence. Specific technical reasons for the failure are not detailed in the available sources, but the mission is recorded as a “failed Soviet lunar sample‑return mission” in Wikidata.

### Legacy and Context  
Kosmos 305 is listed among 17 Wikipedia language editions (including English, Japanese, and Russian) and is referenced in multiple space‑tracking databases. While the mission did not achieve its scientific goals, it contributed to the iterative development of Soviet lunar hardware and launch procedures, informing later missions such as Luna 16, which successfully returned lunar samples in 1970.

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*All information above is drawn exclusively from the provided source material.*

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013