Luna 20
Luna 20 — the second Soviet robot to return lunar soil to Earth (landed 21 February 1972). It touched down in the Apollonius highlands, about 120 km from Luna 16's site, drilled up 30 grams of soil and launched it home the next day; the capsule landed in the Soviet Union on 25 February. Its descent stage remains on the Moon.
Key facts
Mission & specifications
Mission
- Operator
- Lavochkin (USSR)
- Launched
- February 14, 1972
- Status
- Completed
Mission
Luna 20 was the second Soviet robot to bring lunar soil back to Earth, and it did so from rougher ground than Luna 16. Launched on 14 February 1972, it entered lunar orbit on 18 February and on 21 February landed at 19:19 UT in the Apollonius highlands, a mountainous area near Mare Fecunditatis, about 120 km from Luna 16's site. The lander stood almost four metres tall: a descent stage with four legs, fuel tanks, a landing radar and engines — the same design that carried the Lunokhod rovers — and on top an ascent stage holding a spherical return capsule. On the surface its panoramic camera looked around, and a drill on an extending arm collected a sample. On 22 February the ascent stage fired its single-use engine, which put it straight onto a path back to Earth, carrying 30 grams of the highlands in a sealed capsule. The capsule landed in the Soviet Union on 25 February and the samples were recovered the next day. The descent stage is still where it landed; Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has photographed it from orbit.
- 1972Luna 20 launches toward the Moon on a Proton rocketLaunch
The second Soviet sample-return robot sets out.
It prepares to land in the highlands near Mare Fecunditatis.
It drills up a sample about 120 km from Luna 16's landing site.
- 1972Ascent from the MoonAscent
The return stage lifts off with 30 grams of lunar soil.
The capsule lands in the Soviet Union; the samples are recovered the next day.
Images
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