Luna 15

Organization:	Soviet Union
Major Contractors:	GSMZ Lavochkin
Mission Type:	Planetary Science Lunar Sample Return
Satellite of:	Moon
Launch:	July 13, 1969 at 02:54:42 UTC
Launch Vehicle:	Proton 8K82K + Blok D
Mission Highlight:	Lunar impact on July 21, 1969, 15:47 UTC at 17° N, - 60° E.
Mission Duration:	8-days
Mass:	5,700 kg
NSSDC ID:	1969-058A
Webpage:	NASA NSSDC Master Catalog
Orbital elements
Semimajor Axis:	n/a
Eccentricity:	n/a
Inclination:	n/a
Orbital Period:	n/a
Aposelene:	n/a
Periselene:	n/a
Orbits:	Lunar impact
Instruments
Stereo imaging system :	Lunar photography
Remote arm for sample collection :	collect lunar material
Radiation detector :	Lunar radiation environment

Luna 15 (Ye-8-5 series) was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 15. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... NPO Lavochkin is a Russian satellite manufacturer. ... Planetary science, also known as planetology or planetary astronomy, is the science of planets, or planetary systems, and the solar system. ... Apparent magnitude: up to -12. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is a high-precision atomic time standard. ... The Proton (Прото́н) rocket (formal designation: UR-500, also known as D-1/ D-1e or SL-12/SL-13) is a Russian unmanned space vehicle design, first launched in 1965. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The elements of an orbit are the parameters needed to specify that orbit uniquely, given a model of two ideal masses obeying the Newtonian laws of motion and the inverse-square law of gravitational attraction. ... In geometry, the semi-major axis (also semimajor axis) a applies to ellipses and hyperbolas. ... In astrodynamics, under standard assumptions any orbit must be of conic section shape. ... Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction. ... It has been suggested that Space probe be merged into this article or section. ... The Luna programme was a series of 24 unmanned space missions sent to the Moon by the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1976. ...

Luna 15 was a last minute Soviet attempt to steal some of Apollo 11's publicity by being the first mission to return lunar soil to Earth. Luna 15 was placed in an intermediate Earth orbit after launch and was then sent toward the Moon. The spacecraft was capable of studying circumlunar space, the lunar gravitational field, and the chemical composition of lunar rocks. It was also capable of providing lunar surface photography. The mission was a failure, however, after completing 86 communications sessions and 52 orbits of the Moon at various inclinations and altitudes, the spacecraft impacted the lunar surface on July 21, 1969. The mission was important in that it saw one of the first instances of Soviet/American cooperation when the USSR released Luna 15's flight plan to ensure it would not collide with Apollo 11. Soviet redirects here. ... The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. ... Apparent magnitude: up to -12. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ...

Luna 15, launched only three days before the historic Apollo 11 mission to the Moon, was the third Soviet attempt to recover and bring lunar soil back to Earth. In a race to reach the Moon and return to Earth, the parallel missions of Luna 15 and Apollo 11 were, in some ways, the culmination of the Moon race that defined the space programs of both the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1960s. After a midcourse correction the day after launch, Luna 15 entered lunar orbit at 10:00 UT on 17 July 1969. The spacecraft remained in lunar orbit for two days while controllers checked all onboard systems and performed two orbital maneuvers. Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin had already set foot on the Moon when Luna 15 fired its main retrorocket engine to initiate descent to the surface at 15:47 UT on 21 July 1969. Unfortunately, transmissions ceased only 4 minutes after deorbit at a calculated altitude of 3 kilometers. The spacecraft had probably crashed onto the side of a mountain. Impact coordinates were 17° north latitude and 60° east longitude in Mare Crisium. is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... Mare Crisium Studios is also the name of a company formed to develop the game Stars! Supernova Genesis. ...

Luna 1969C (Ye-8-5 series) was the second Soviet attempt at an unmanned lunar sample return. ... The Luna programme (occasionally called Lunik) was a series of unmanned space missions sent to the Moon by the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1976. ... Cosmos 300 (Ye-8-5 series) was the fourth Soviet attempt at an unmanned lunar sample return. ...

External Links

• Zarya - Luna programme chronology

 

Luna programme
Luna 1958A | Luna 1958B | Luna 1958C | Luna 1 | Luna 1959A | Luna 2 | Luna 3 | Luna 1960A | Luna 1960B | Sputnik 25 | Luna 1963B | Luna 4 | Luna 1964A | Luna 1964B | Cosmos 60 | Luna 1965A | Luna 5 | Luna 6 | Luna 7 | Luna 8 | Luna 9 | Cosmos 111 | Luna 10 | Luna 1966A | Luna 11 | Luna 12 | Luna 13 | Luna 1968A | Luna 14 | Luna 1969A | Luna 1969B | Luna 1969C | Luna 15 | Cosmos 300 | Cosmos 305 | Luna 1970A | Luna 1970B | Luna 16 | Luna 17 | Luna 18 | Luna 19 | Luna 20 | Luna 21 | Luna 22 | Luna 23 | Luna 1975A | Luna 24

This article contains material that originally came from a NASA website. According to their site usage guidelines, "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". For more information, please review NASA's use guidelines. The Luna programme (occasionally called Lunik) was a series of unmanned space missions sent to the Moon by the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1976. ... Image File history File links Luna-9_spacecraft. ... Luna 1958A (E-1 series) was the first Soviet spacecraft which was using for mission to the Moon. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... Luna 1958C (E-1 series) was the third Soviet spacecraft which was used for mission to the Moon. ... Luna 1 is the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of the Moon and the first of the Luna programme of Soviet automatic interplanetary stations successfully launched in the direction of the Moon. ... Luna 2. ... Luna 2 (E-1A series) was the second of the Soviet Unions Luna program spacecraft launched in the direction of the Moon. ... Luna 3 (E-3 series) was the third spacecraft sent successfully to the moon and was an early triumph in the human exploration of outer space. ... Luna 1960A (E-3 series) was the second Soviet attempt to photograph the far side of the Moon. ... Luna 1960B (E-3 series) was the third Soviet attempt to photograph the far side of the Moon. ... The mission of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 25 was an attempted lunar soft landing, with the purpose of returning data on the mechanical characteristics of the lunar surface, the hazards presented by the topology such as craters, rocks, and other obstructions, and radiation, in preparation for future manned landings. ... Luna 1963B (E-6 series) was the second Soviet attempt to land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon. ... Luna 4 was the USSRs first successful spacecraft of their second generation Luna program. ... Luna 1964A (E-6 series) was the fourth Soviet attempt to land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon. ... Luna 1964B (E-6 series) was the fifth Soviet attempt to land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon. ... The Cosmos 60 probe, launched by the Soviet Union on March 12, 1965, was intended to be a lunar soft-landing mission, with a design similar to that of Luna 4. ... Luna 1965A (E-6 series) was the seventh Soviet attempt to land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon. ... Luna 5 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 5. ... Luna 6 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 6. ... Luna 7 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 7. ... Luna 8 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 8. ... Luna 9 (E-6 series), also known as Lunik 9 (internal name E-6 N. 13), was an unmanned space mission of the Soviet Unions Luna program. ... Luna 10 spacecraft. ... Luna 10 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 10. ... Luna 1966A was the third Soviet attempt to orbit a spacecraft around the Moon (the first attempt being the unsuccessful Cosmos 111 mission and the second being the successful Luna 10 mission). ... Luna 11 was an unmanned space mission of the Soviet Unions Luna program. ... Luna 12 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 12. ... Luna 13 (E-6M series) was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 13. ... Luna 1968A (E-6LS series) was a Soviet attempt to orbit a spacecraft around the Moon. ... Luna 14 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program run by the Soviet Union. ... Lunakhod Luna 1969A (Ye-8 series) was the first attempt to land a Lunokhod rover on the Moon. ... Luna 1969B was the first Soviet attempt at an unmanned lunar sample return. ... Luna 1969C (Ye-8-5 series) was the second Soviet attempt at an unmanned lunar sample return. ... Cosmos 300 (Ye-8-5 series) was the fourth Soviet attempt at an unmanned lunar sample return. ... Cosmos 305 (Ye-8-5 series) was the fifth Soviet attempt at an unmanned lunar sample return. ... Luna 1970A (Ye-8-5 series) was the sixth Soviet attempt at an unmanned lunar sample return. ... Luna 1970B was an attempted lunar orbiter. ... Luna 16 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 16. ... Luna 17 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 17. ... Luna 18 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 18. ... Luna 19 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 19. ... Luna 20 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 20. ... Luna 21 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 21. ... Luna 22 was an unmanned space mission, part of the Soviet Luna program, also called Lunik 22. ... Luna 23 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 23. ... Luna 1975A was a Soviet unmanned space mission, part of the Luna program, and similar to the later Luna 24 mission which successfully collected and returned to Earth a sample of lunar material. ... Luna 24 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 24. ... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States federal government, responsible for the nations public space program. ... Copyright symbol Copyright is a set of exclusive rights regulating the use of a particular expression of an idea or information. ...