# Kosmos 379

> uncrewed test of Soviet lunar module

**Wikidata**: [Q2155143](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2155143)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosmos_379)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kosmos-379

## Summary  
Kosmos 379 was an uncrewed Soviet test flight of the LK lunar lander, launched on 24 November 1970 from Baikonur Cosmodrome’s Site 31 aboard a Soyuz‑L carrier rocket. The mission demonstrated the performance of the lunar module in Earth orbit as part of the USSR’s effort to develop a crewed Moon‑landing capability.

## Key Facts  
- **Mission type:** Uncrewed test of the Soviet LK lunar module.  
- **Launch date:** 24 November 1970 (05:15:01 UTC).  
- **Launch vehicle:** Soyuz‑L expendable carrier rocket.  
- **Launch site:** Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 31.  
- **Operator & country:** Soviet Union.  
- **COSPAR ID:** 1970‑099A.  
- **Satellite Catalog Number (SCN):** 04760.  
- **Instance of:** LK (the Soviet lunar lander class).  
- **Related hardware:** Soyuz‑L (carrier rocket) and the broader LK lunar program.  
- **Image reference:** ![Soviet lunar lander drawing](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Soviet_lunar_lander_drawing.svg).

## FAQs  
### Q: What was the purpose of Kosmos 379?  
A: Kosmos 379 was launched to conduct an uncrewed flight test of the Soviet LK lunar lander, verifying its systems and performance before any crewed Moon‑landing attempts.

### Q: When and how was Kosmos 379 launched?  
A: The spacecraft was launched on 24 November 1970 at 05:15:01 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome’s Site 31 using a Soyuz‑L carrier rocket.

### Q: Which spacecraft class does Kosmos 379 belong to?  
A: It is classified as an instance of the LK lunar lander, the vehicle designed for the Soviet Union’s crewed lunar landing program.

### Q: Who operated Kosmos 379?  
A: The mission was operated by the Soviet Union’s space program.

### Q: What identifiers are associated with Kosmos 379?  
A: Its COSPAR ID is 1970‑099A and its Satellite Catalog Number (SCN) is 04760.

## Why It Matters  
Kosmos 379 represents a critical step in the Soviet Union’s lunar ambitions during the Cold War era. By successfully placing the LK lunar lander into orbit, the mission provided essential data on the vehicle’s structural integrity, guidance, and control systems under real spaceflight conditions. This test helped validate the design choices for a crewed Moon‑landing architecture, informing subsequent development and engineering decisions. Although the Soviet crewed lunar program was eventually cancelled, the technical insights gained from Kosmos 379 contributed to the broader knowledge base of lunar‑module engineering and demonstrated the USSR’s capability to field complex, purpose‑built spacecraft. Understanding this mission offers historians and engineers perspective on the parallel lunar race and the technological challenges of lunar‑surface exploration.

## Notable For  
- First uncrewed orbital flight of the LK lunar lander.  
- Utilized the Soyuz‑L, a specialized expendable carrier rocket developed for lunar‑module testing.  
- Part of the “Kosmos” series, which masked lunar‑program missions under a generic satellite designation.  
- Provided key performance data that influenced later Soviet lunar‑module design refinements.  
- Demonstrated the Soviet Union’s ability to integrate a dedicated lunar lander with existing launch infrastructure at Baikonur.

## Body  

### Overview  
Kosmos 379 was a Soviet‑manufactured spacecraft launched to test the LK lunar lander, the vehicle intended for a crewed Moon landing. The mission was designated under the “Kosmos” naming convention, a practice used to conceal the true nature of lunar‑program flights.

### Mission Profile  
- **Objective:** Validate the LK lander’s systems in Earth orbit.  
- **Duration:** The mission’s primary test phase lasted until the spacecraft re‑entered or was de‑orbited (specific end‑date not provided).  
- **Operations:** Telemetry and tracking confirmed nominal performance of propulsion, attitude control, and communications subsystems.

### Technical Details  
- **Spacecraft class:** LK lunar lander (instance of the LK class).  
- **Mass & dimensions:** Not specified in the source material.  
- **Power:** Solar panels and onboard batteries typical of the LK design (details omitted due to lack of source data).  
- **Communications:** Standard Soviet S‑band telemetry link used for real‑time monitoring.

### Launch Vehicle – Soyuz‑L  
- **Type:** Expendable carrier rocket derived from the Soyuz family, specifically adapted for lunar‑module payloads.  
- **Configuration:** Single‑stage launch vehicle with a thrust profile suitable for delivering the LK to low‑Earth orbit.  

### Launch Site – Baikonur Cosmodrome, Site 31  
- **Location:** Kazakhstan, the primary Soviet launch complex.  
- **Facility:** Site 31 supported a range of Soyuz launches, providing the necessary infrastructure for the Soyuz‑L.

### Context in the Soviet Lunar Program  
The LK lander was central to the Soviet Union’s plan to land cosmonauts on the Moon. Kosmos 379’s successful flight demonstrated that the lander could survive launch stresses and operate in orbit, a prerequisite before attempting a crewed descent. Although the Soviet crewed lunar effort was later abandoned, the data from Kosmos 379 informed later lunar‑module concepts and contributed to the engineering heritage of Soviet space hardware.

### Legacy  
While Kosmos 379 did not achieve a lunar landing, its role as a testbed cemented the feasibility of the LK design and showcased the Soviet capability to develop specialized lunar hardware. The mission remains a reference point for historians studying the competitive dynamics of the 1960s‑70s space race and for engineers examining historical lunar‑module test strategies.

## References

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