[3][4] After leaving Earth orbit, the spacecraft and the Molniya booster's fourth stage separated and the solar panels were deployed.

Early telemetry indicated that there was a leak in one of the gas valves in the orientation system so the spacecraft was transferred to gyroscopic stabilization.

It made sixty-one radio transmissions, initially at two-day intervals and later at five days, containing a large amount of interplanetary data.

Power was supplied by two solar panel wings with a total area of 2.6 m2 (28 sq ft) affixed to opposite sides of the spacecraft.

[6] The 32-centimeter wavelength transmitter, situated in the orbital module,[7] utilized a high-gain antenna, primarily transmitting on 922.76 MHz.