''Luna 23'' was an
uncrewed space mission of the
Luna program developed by the Soviet Union.
Overview
''Luna 23'' was a Soviet
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
lander mission which was intended to
return a lunar sample to Earth. Launched to the Moon by a
Proton-K/
D, the spacecraft tipped over on its side and was damaged upon landing in
Mare Crisium. The sample collecting apparatus could not operate and no samples were returned. The lander continued transmissions for three days after landing. In 1976, ''
Luna 24'' landed several hundred meters away and successfully returned samples. The asteroid-like object
2010 KQ is believed to be a rocket that parted the ''Luna 23'' module after launch.
[
''Luna 23'' was the first modified lunar sample return spacecraft, designed to return a deep core sample of the Moon's surface (hence the change in index from Ye-8-5 to Ye-8-5M). While '' Luna 16'' and '' Luna 20'' had returned samples from a depth of 0.3 meters, the new spacecraft was designed to dig to 2.5 meters. After a midcourse correction on 31 October, ''Luna 23'' entered orbit around the Moon on 2 November 1974. Parameters were 104 × 94 kilometers at 138° inclination. Following several more changes to the orbit, the spacecraft descended to the lunar surface on 6 November and landed in the southernmost portion of Mare Crisium. Landing coordinates were 13° north latitude and 62° east longitude. During landing in "unfavorable" terrain, the lander's drilling device was evidently damaged, preventing fulfillment of the primary mission, the return of lunar soil to Earth. Scientists devised a makeshift plan to conduct a limited science exploration program with the stationary lander. Controllers maintained contact with the spacecraft until 9 November 1974.
High resolution orbital photographs taken by the NASA ]Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a NASA robotic spacecraft currently orbiting the Moon in an eccentric Polar orbit, polar mapping orbit. Data collected by LRO have been described as essential for planning NASA's future human and robotic ...
and released in March 2012 showed the ''Luna 23'' spacecraft lying on its side on the lunar surface. The spacecraft evidently tipped over upon landing, perhaps due to higher than nominal vertical and/or horizontal velocities at touchdown.[
]
In culture
In the 2007 BioWare video game ''Mass Effect
''Mass Effect'' is a military science fiction media franchise created by Casey Hudson. The franchise depicts a distant future where humanity and several alien civilizations have colonized the galaxy using technology left behind by Elder race, a ...
'', derelict remains of this spacecraft can be found in the accessible parts of Earth's Moon and can be salvaged for random materials.
See also
* Timeline of artificial satellites and space probes
* List of artificial objects on the Moon
This is a partial list of artificial materials left on the Moon, many during the missions of the Apollo program. The table below does not include lesser Apollo mission artificial objects, such as a hammer and other tools, Laser Ranging Retroflect ...
* List of missions to the Moon
Missions to the Moon have been numerous and include some of the earliest space missions, conducting exploration of the Moon since 1959.
The first partially successful lunar mission was Luna 1 (January 1959), the first probe to leave Earth ...
References
External links
Zarya - Luna programme chronology
NASA NSSDC Master Catalog
{{Moon spacecraft
Luna programme
Sample return missions
Missions to the Moon
1974 in spaceflight
1974 in the Soviet Union
Soft landings on the Moon
Spacecraft launched in 1974
1974 on the Moon