Product Code Database
The Luna programme (from the Russian word "Moon" meaning "Moon"), sometimes called Lunik by western media, was a series of robotic spacecraft missions sent to the Moon by the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1976. The programme accomplished many firsts in space exploration, including first flyby of the Moon, first impact of the Moon and first photos of the far side of the Moon. Each mission was designed as either an orbiter or lander. They also performed many experiments, studying the Moon's chemical composition, gravity, temperature, and radiation.
Twenty-four spacecraft were formally given the Luna designation, although more were launched. Those that failed to reach orbit were not publicly acknowledged at the time, and not assigned a Luna number. Those that failed in low Earth orbit were usually given Cosmos designations. The estimated cost of the Luna programme in 1964 was US$6–10 billion (equivalent to US$– billion in ). The Luna 25 mission also continues the Luna designation, although it is considered to be a part of the Luna-Glob exploration programme. The same applies to other planned missions such as Luna 26, Luna 27 and Luna 28.
Luna program landers had the generic designations of Ye-6 or Ye-6M ( E-6 or E-6M depending on transliteration from Russian). Two successful soft landings were achieved out of thirteen attempts from January 1963 to December 1966.
Luna 9 ( E-6 No.13) became the first probe to achieve a soft landing on another planetary body in February 1966. It transmitted five black and white stereoscopic circular panoramas, which were the first close-up shots of the lunar surface.
The first attempted Lunokhod failed in February 1969. Luna 17 (November 1970) and Luna 21 (January 1973) carried Lunokhod vehicles, which were the first robotic wheeled vehicles to explore the Moon's terrain. Lunokhod 1 travelled in 322 days and returned more than 20,000 television images and 206 high-resolution panoramas. Lunokhod 2 operated for about four months, and covered of terrain, A third Lunokhod was built and intended for launch in 1977, but never flew due to lack of launchers and funding.
Luna 16 (September 1970), Luna 20 (February 1972) and Luna 24 (August 1976), returned samples of lunar soil to Earth. A total of of soil sample was returned from the three missions.
Luna 15 (July 1969) flew at the same time as the Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had already performed the first crewed lunar landing when Luna 15 began its descent, and the spacecraft crashed into a mountain minutes later.
| 33.3% |
| 50.0% |
| 71.4% |
| 41.7% |
| 100.0% |
| 85.7% |
| 60.0% |
| Failed to orbit |
| Failed to orbit |
| Failed to orbit |
| Also known as Mechta; placed onto incorrect trajectory, flew past the Moon without impacting; first spacecraft to escape geocentric orbit |
| Failed to orbit |
| Impacted Palus Putredinis (29.10 N, 0.00 E) on the Moon on 14 September 1959 at ~07:30 GMT. First man-made object to reach the Moon. |
| Took first photographs of the far side of the Moon. |
| Failed to orbit |
| Failed to orbit |
| Never left LEO |
| Failed to orbit |
| Failed to perform course correction manoeuvre; flew past the Moon |
| Failed to orbit |
| Failed to orbit |
| Never left LEO, decayed five days later |
| Failed to orbit |
| Failed to decelerate; impacted Mare Nubium |
| Failed to perform course correction manoeuvre; flew past the Moon |
| Attitude control failure; impacted Oceanus Procellarum |
| Attitude control failure; impacted Oceanus Procellarum |
| Landed in Oceanus Procellarum (7.08 N, 295.63 E) 18:44:52 GMT on 3 February 1966. First soft landing on the Moon. |
| Never left LEO, decayed two days later |
| Landed in Oceanus Procellarum (18.87 N, 297.95 E) 18:01 GMT on 24 December 1966 |
| Failed to orbit |
| First attempt to launch Lunokhod. Failed to orbit, Lunokhod destroyed. |
| Failed to orbit |
| Entered selenocentric orbit successfully, failed during descent on 21 July 1969; impacted the Moon while Apollo 11 was on the surface |
| Never left LEO, decayed four days later |
| Never left LEO, decayed two days later |
| Failed to orbit |
| Landed in Mare Fecunditatis (0.68 S, 56.30 E) at 05:18 GMT on 20 September 1970. Sample returned to Earth on 24 September 1970 |
| Landed in Mare Imbrium (38.28 N, 325.00 E) at 03:47 GMT on 17 November 1970. Deployed Lunokhod 1 |
| Entered selenocentric orbit successfully, failed during descent; impacted Mare Fecunditatis (3.57 N, 50.50 E) |
| Landed in Mare Fecunditatis (3.57 N, 56.50 E) at 19:19 UTC on 21 February 1972. Sample returned to Earth on 25 February 1972 |
| Landed in Le Monnier (25.85 N, 30.45 E) at 23:35 UTC on 15 January 1973. Deployed Lunokhod 2 |
| Landed in Mare Crisium, fell over upon landing |
| Failed to orbit, intended to return a sample from Mare Crisium |
| Landed in Mare Crisium (12.25 N, 62.20 E) at 02:00 UTC on 18 August 1976. Sample returned to Earth on 22 August 1976 |
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