The Soviet Union's uncrewed lunar exploration program, running from 1958 to 1976. It achieved the first flyby of the Moon (Luna 1), the first lunar impact (Luna 2), the first photographs of the Moon's far side (Luna 3), the first soft landing on another world (Luna 9), the first robotic lunar sample return (Luna 16), and deployed the Lunokhod rovers.
Facts
Mission TypeRobotic lunar exploration program 1 Launch DateDate of the Luna 1 launch, the program's first mission and the first successful lunar flyby. OutcomeAchieved a series of space exploration firsts (first lunar flyby, first impact, first far-side photographs, first soft landing, first robotic lunar sample return, first lunar rovers); ended in 1976 with Luna 24. 1 Mission Type
Mission Type (category)Robotic / Uncrewed Mission 1 Connections
Operated By
Additional Source Wikipedia: Luna programmeLuna programme, Wikipedia, lead section (Soviet Union attribution)
Spacecraft Of
Source Luna 1 - Wikipedia
Source Luna 10 - Wikipedia
Source Luna 16 - Wikipedia
Source Wikipedia: Luna 17
Source Luna 2 (Wikipedia)
Source Wikipedia: Luna 20
Source Wikipedia: Luna 21
Source Wikipedia: Luna 24
Source Luna 3 - Wikipedia
Source Wikipedia - Luna 9
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationLuna programme, Mission Types section
Notable achievements include the first Moon flyby (Luna 1), the first impact (Luna 2), the first photos of the far side (Luna 3), the first soft landing (Luna 9), and the first robotic sample return (Luna 16).
Luna programme, Wikipedia, infobox (Last flight)
Last flight: Luna 24, 9 August 1976
View the Source Wikipedia: Luna programme
Wikimedia Foundation- Luna programme, lead section
Operated By: Soviet space program, Luna programme, Wikipedia, lead section (Soviet Union attribution)
was a series of robotic spacecraft missions sent to the Moon by the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1976
View the Source Luna 2 (Wikipedia)
Includes: Luna 2, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 2 (Russian: Луна 2), originally named the Second Soviet Cosmic Rocket and nicknamed Lunik 2 in contemporaneous media, was the sixth of the Soviet Union's Luna programme spacecraft launched to the Moon, E-1 No.7 (Е-1А № 7).
Spacecraft Of: Luna 2, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 2 (Russian: Луна 2), originally named the Second Soviet Cosmic Rocket and nicknamed Lunik 2 in contemporaneous media, was the sixth of the Soviet Union's Luna programme spacecraft launched to the Moon, E-1 No.7 (Е-1А № 7).
View the SourceWikipedia - Luna 9
Includes: Luna 9, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 9 (Луна-9), internal designation Ye-6 No.13, was an uncrewed space mission of the Soviet Union's Luna programme.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 9, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 9 (Луна-9), internal designation Ye-6 No.13, was an uncrewed space mission of the Soviet Union's Luna programme.
View the SourceLuna 1 - Wikipedia
Includes: Luna 1, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 1 was launched as part of the Soviet Luna programme in 1959.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 1, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 1 was launched as part of the Soviet Luna programme in 1959.
View the SourceLuna 3 - Wikipedia
Includes: Luna 3, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 3, or E-2A No.1 (Russian: Луна 3), was a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1959 as part of the Luna programme.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 3, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 3, or E-2A No.1 (Russian: Луна 3), was a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1959 as part of the Luna programme.
View the SourceLuna 16 - Wikipedia
Includes: Luna 16, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 16 was an uncrewed 1970 space mission, part of the Soviet Luna program.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 16, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 16 was an uncrewed 1970 space mission, part of the Soviet Luna program.
View the SourceLuna 10 - Wikipedia
Includes: Luna 10, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 10 (Russian: Луна-10, lit. 'Moon-10') or Lunik 10 was a 1966 Soviet lunar robotic spacecraft mission in the Luna program.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 10, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 10 (Russian: Луна-10, lit. 'Moon-10') or Lunik 10 was a 1966 Soviet lunar robotic spacecraft mission in the Luna program.
View the SourceWikipedia: Luna 24
Includes: Luna 24, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 24 was a robotic probe of the Soviet Union's Luna programme.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 24, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 24 was a robotic probe of the Soviet Union's Luna programme.
View the SourceWikipedia: Luna 17
Includes: Luna 17, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 17 (Ye-8 series) was an uncrewed space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 17.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 17, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 17 (Ye-8 series) was an uncrewed space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 17.
View the SourceWikipedia: Luna 21
Includes: Luna 21, Lead paragraph, part-of
Luna 21 (Ye-8 series) was an uncrewed space mission, and its spacecraft, of the Luna program, also called Lunik 21, in 1973.
Spacecraft Of: Luna 21, Lead paragraph, mission-of
Luna 21 (Ye-8 series) was an uncrewed space mission, and its spacecraft, of the Luna program, also called Lunik 21, in 1973.
View the SourceLuna Program (Wikipedia)
In Group: Early American and Soviet Robotic Lunar Programs, Lead sentenceQuote, In Group: Early American and Soviet Robotic Lunar Programs, Lead sentence
The Luna programme (from the Russian word Луна "Luna" 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.
Wikipedia: Luna 20
Spacecraft Of: Luna 20, Lead sentence
Luna 20 was the second of three successful Soviet lunar sample return missions.
Includes: Luna 20, Lead sentence
Luna 20 was the second of three successful Soviet lunar sample return missions.
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