6
1 Introduction
Table 1.1 Brief information of the Luna probes
Name
Launch time
Landing Time
Brief information of the probes
Luna 1
1959-01-02
–
The first spacecraft approached the Moon, flew
by the Moon and entered heliocentric orbit
Luna 2
1959-09-12
–
The first spacecraft impacted on lunar surface
Luna 3
1959-10-04
–
The first spacecraft that took photos of far side
of the Moon over 70% area
Luna 4
1963-04-02
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but entered
geocentric orbit because of trajectory error
Luna 5
1965-05-09
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but crashed
on lunar surface
Luna 6
1965-06-08
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but entered
heliocentric orbit because of trajectory error
Luna 7
1965-10-04
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but crashed
on Oceanus Procellarum of the Moon
Luna 8
1965-12-03
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but crashed
on Oceanus Procellarum of the Moon
Luna 9
1966-01-31
1966-02-03
The first spacecraft that softly landed on lunar
surface
Luna 10
1966-03-31
–
The first lunar orbiter
Luna 11
1966-08-24
–
Lunar orbiter
Luna 12
1966-10-22
–
Lunar orbiter that took photo of the Moon
equator
Luna 13
1966-12-21
1966-12-24
Landed on the moon and analyzed lunar regolith
Luna 14
1968-04-07
–
Lunar orbiter that explored the Moon gravity
Luna 15
1969-07-13
–
Designed to take sample and return, but crashed
on lunar surface
Luna 16
1970-09-12
1970-09-20
The first spacecraft that successfully took lunar
sample and return to the Earth
Luna 17
1970-11-10
1970-11-17
Landed on lunar surface and deployed a rover
Lunkhod 1
Luna 18
1971-09-02
–
Lunar orbiter that orbited the Moon 54 circles
before losing contact with ground station
Luna 19
1971-09-28
–
Lunar orbiter whose performance was better
than Luna 10
Luna 20
1972-02-14
1972-02-21
Successful robotic lunar sample and return
mission
Luna 21
1973-01-08
1973-01-15
Landed on lunar surface and deployed a rover
Lunkhod 2
Luna 22
1974-05-29
–
Lunar orbiter that took photos and explore lunar
magnetic field
Luna 23
1974-11-28
–
Designed to took lunar subsurface sample, but
failed when landing
(continued)
1 Introduction
Table 1.1 Brief information of the Luna probes
Name
Launch time
Landing Time
Brief information of the probes
Luna 1
1959-01-02
–
The first spacecraft approached the Moon, flew
by the Moon and entered heliocentric orbit
Luna 2
1959-09-12
–
The first spacecraft impacted on lunar surface
Luna 3
1959-10-04
–
The first spacecraft that took photos of far side
of the Moon over 70% area
Luna 4
1963-04-02
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but entered
geocentric orbit because of trajectory error
Luna 5
1965-05-09
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but crashed
on lunar surface
Luna 6
1965-06-08
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but entered
heliocentric orbit because of trajectory error
Luna 7
1965-10-04
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but crashed
on Oceanus Procellarum of the Moon
Luna 8
1965-12-03
–
Designed to land on lunar surface, but crashed
on Oceanus Procellarum of the Moon
Luna 9
1966-01-31
1966-02-03
The first spacecraft that softly landed on lunar
surface
Luna 10
1966-03-31
–
The first lunar orbiter
Luna 11
1966-08-24
–
Lunar orbiter
Luna 12
1966-10-22
–
Lunar orbiter that took photo of the Moon
equator
Luna 13
1966-12-21
1966-12-24
Landed on the moon and analyzed lunar regolith
Luna 14
1968-04-07
–
Lunar orbiter that explored the Moon gravity
Luna 15
1969-07-13
–
Designed to take sample and return, but crashed
on lunar surface
Luna 16
1970-09-12
1970-09-20
The first spacecraft that successfully took lunar
sample and return to the Earth
Luna 17
1970-11-10
1970-11-17
Landed on lunar surface and deployed a rover
Lunkhod 1
Luna 18
1971-09-02
–
Lunar orbiter that orbited the Moon 54 circles
before losing contact with ground station
Luna 19
1971-09-28
–
Lunar orbiter whose performance was better
than Luna 10
Luna 20
1972-02-14
1972-02-21
Successful robotic lunar sample and return
mission
Luna 21
1973-01-08
1973-01-15
Landed on lunar surface and deployed a rover
Lunkhod 2
Luna 22
1974-05-29
–
Lunar orbiter that took photos and explore lunar
magnetic field
Luna 23
1974-11-28
–
Designed to took lunar subsurface sample, but
failed when landing
(continued)