1.2 Status of Lunar Lander Technology Development Outside China
5
1.2 Status of Lunar Lander Technology Development
Outside China
Only the Soviet Union and the United States succeeded in lunar soft-landing in 1960s
and 1970s to date. Their success prompted development of lunar lander technology.
There were 44 lunar soft-landing missions implemented by the Soviet Union and
the United States before 2014, 18 of them were successful, where 7 robotic lunar
landing missions by the Soviet Union and 11 by United State including 6 manned
lunar soft-landing missions.
1.2.1 Development of Lunar Lander Technology in the Soviet
Union [1, 14]
The Luna Program was the first Soviet Union lunar exploration program and 24
successful missions were launched since 1959–1976. There were different types of
lunar exploration including flyby, orbiting, soft-landing, roving, sample and return
in the Luna Program. Great achievement of the Luna Program made a lot of records
in lunar exploration history of human being.
The Luna 1 was the first man made spacecraft flying by the Moon. The Luna 2 was
the first spacecraft impact the Moon. The Luna 3 was the first spacecraft that took
photos of far side of the Moon over 70% area. The Luna 9 was the first spacecraft
that softly landed on a celestial body surface. The Luna 16 was the first spacecraft
that brought lunar sample back to the Earth robotically. The Luna 17 was the first
spacecraft that deployed a lunar rover on lunar surface.
There were 7 missions that successfully softly landed on lunar surface. The Luna
9 and the Luna 13 were landed by airbag. The Luna 17 and the Luna 21 were landed
by legs and rovers were deployed after landing. The rovers of the Luna 17 and Luna
21 roved around the lander and took photos. The Luna 16, Luna 20 and Luna 24
brought lunar sample back to the Earth. Brief information of the Luna probes is
listed in Table 1.1.
1. The Luna 9 Lander
The Luna 9 was the first man made spacecraft landing on lunar surface successfully.
It was launched by Molniya rocket on 31 Jan. 1966. It landed on the 64.37°W, 7.13°N
near Oceanus Procellarum of the Moon on 2 Feb. 1966. The mission goals of Luna
9 were including:
(1) To take photo near landing site.
(2) To explore the bearing capacity of lunar surface.
(3) To detect the properties of illumination, thermal and radiation on lunar surface.
The launch mass of Luna 9 was about 1500 kg. The probe was made up of landing
module, instrument module and propulsion subsystem. The launch configuration is
shown in Fig. 1.1 and major components are shown in Fig. 1.2.
5
1.2 Status of Lunar Lander Technology Development
Outside China
Only the Soviet Union and the United States succeeded in lunar soft-landing in 1960s
and 1970s to date. Their success prompted development of lunar lander technology.
There were 44 lunar soft-landing missions implemented by the Soviet Union and
the United States before 2014, 18 of them were successful, where 7 robotic lunar
landing missions by the Soviet Union and 11 by United State including 6 manned
lunar soft-landing missions.
1.2.1 Development of Lunar Lander Technology in the Soviet
Union [1, 14]
The Luna Program was the first Soviet Union lunar exploration program and 24
successful missions were launched since 1959–1976. There were different types of
lunar exploration including flyby, orbiting, soft-landing, roving, sample and return
in the Luna Program. Great achievement of the Luna Program made a lot of records
in lunar exploration history of human being.
The Luna 1 was the first man made spacecraft flying by the Moon. The Luna 2 was
the first spacecraft impact the Moon. The Luna 3 was the first spacecraft that took
photos of far side of the Moon over 70% area. The Luna 9 was the first spacecraft
that softly landed on a celestial body surface. The Luna 16 was the first spacecraft
that brought lunar sample back to the Earth robotically. The Luna 17 was the first
spacecraft that deployed a lunar rover on lunar surface.
There were 7 missions that successfully softly landed on lunar surface. The Luna
9 and the Luna 13 were landed by airbag. The Luna 17 and the Luna 21 were landed
by legs and rovers were deployed after landing. The rovers of the Luna 17 and Luna
21 roved around the lander and took photos. The Luna 16, Luna 20 and Luna 24
brought lunar sample back to the Earth. Brief information of the Luna probes is
listed in Table 1.1.
1. The Luna 9 Lander
The Luna 9 was the first man made spacecraft landing on lunar surface successfully.
It was launched by Molniya rocket on 31 Jan. 1966. It landed on the 64.37°W, 7.13°N
near Oceanus Procellarum of the Moon on 2 Feb. 1966. The mission goals of Luna
9 were including:
(1) To take photo near landing site.
(2) To explore the bearing capacity of lunar surface.
(3) To detect the properties of illumination, thermal and radiation on lunar surface.
The launch mass of Luna 9 was about 1500 kg. The probe was made up of landing
module, instrument module and propulsion subsystem. The launch configuration is
shown in Fig. 1.1 and major components are shown in Fig. 1.2.