Luna Programme
The Luna programme — the Soviet Union's robotic exploration of the Moon, 1958–1976. Of its 47 launches, 24 received a Luna number; the rest failed during launch or were stranded in Earth orbit. It achieved the first flyby, impact, far-side photographs, soft landing, lunar orbit, robotic sample return and rover.
Key facts
Mission & specifications
Mission
- Operator
- OKB-1 / Lavochkin (USSR)
- Launched
- September 23, 1958
- Status
- Completed
Trajectory
- Distance from the Sun
- 0.998 AU
- Computed from the cached position
- Distance from Earth
- 9,574,149 km
- Computed from cached positions
- Distance from Venus
- 0.276 AU
- Computed from cached positions
Mission
The Luna programme was the Soviet Union's robotic exploration of the Moon, and for much of the space race it led. Between September 1958 and August 1976 it made 47 launches toward the Moon. Only 24 were given a Luna number. The others failed during launch or were stranded in Earth orbit — those were named Sputnik or Kosmos rather than Luna — and several of them are identified only tentatively. What the numbered missions achieved stands among the great firsts of exploration. Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity and pass the Moon; Luna 2 the first to reach its surface; Luna 3 took the first pictures of its far side. After at least ten failed attempts, Luna 9 made the first soft landing in 1966, and Luna 10 became the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon. Luna 16 brought back the first sample collected by a robot, Luna 17 delivered the first rover, Lunokhod 1, and Luna 24 closed the series in 1976 with the last lunar sample return for 44 years. The timeline lists every launch, with its date and what happened. Where NSSDCA's own pages give different dates, the entry says so. The name returned in 2023 with Russia's Luna 25, which crashed during its descent.
- 1958Luna 1958A (Ye-1 No.1)Launch
The first Soviet attempt to reach the Moon: the rocket broke up from vibration and exploded 92 seconds after launch.
- 1958Luna 1958B (Ye-1 No.2)Launch
The rocket exploded 104 seconds after launch, again because of vibration.
- 1958Luna 1958C (Ye-1 No.3)Launch
A second-stage engine lost thrust 245 seconds after launch and was shut down.
The first spacecraft to pass the Moon, missing it by 5,995 km, and the first to orbit the Sun.
- 1959Luna 1959A (Ye-1A No.1)Launch
The rocket's guidance failed 152 seconds after launch and it was destroyed by command. NSSDCA's chronology dates this launch 16 June.
The first spacecraft to reach the surface of the Moon, on 14 September.
Returned the first photographs of the Moon's far side.
- 1960Luna 1960ALaunch
Meant to photograph the far side again; its upper stage cut off early, and it rose to about 200,000 km and fell back.
- 1960Luna 1960BLaunch
The strap-on boosters broke away at lift-off and the rocket was destroyed. NSSDCA also gives 16 and 18 April.
- 1963Sputnik 25 (Ye-6 No.2)Launch
The first Ye-6 soft-landing attempt reached Earth orbit but never left it, and re-entered the next day.
- 1963Luna 1963B (Ye-6 No.3)Launch
The rocket lost pitch control 105.5 seconds after launch and did not reach orbit.
A soft-landing attempt that missed the Moon by about 8,400 km.
- 1964Luna 1964A (Ye-6 No.6)Launch
A liquid-oxygen valve failed to open fully; the rocket cut off 489 seconds after launch and crashed.
- 1964Luna 1964B (Ye-6 No.5)Launch
The rocket's guidance failed 340 seconds after launch, before it reached orbit.
- 1965Kosmos 60 (Ye-6 No.9)Launch
Reached Earth orbit but failed to leave it for the Moon.
- 1965Luna 1965A (Ye-6 No.8)Launch
Tentatively identified as a landing attempt whose rocket failed to reach orbit.
Crashed on the Moon after its braking rocket failed.
An engine that would not shut off sent it 161,000 km past the Moon.
Crashed in the Ocean of Storms after losing attitude control.
Crashed in the Ocean of Storms after an airbag was punctured.
The first soft landing on the Moon, and the first pictures from its surface.
- 1966Kosmos 111 (Ye-6S No.204)Launch
An orbiter identical to Luna 10, stranded in Earth orbit when its upper stage lost roll control; it re-entered two days later.
The first spacecraft to orbit the Moon.
- 1966Luna 1966ALaunch
Tentatively identified as a lunar orbiter; its rocket is believed to have failed before reaching orbit.
Orbited the Moon, but its camera photographed only empty space.
Orbited the Moon and returned close-up images.
Landed softly in the Ocean of Storms and tested the soil.
- 1968Luna 1968A (Ye-6LS No.112)Launch
Tentatively identified as a lunar orbiter; the rocket failed to reach Earth orbit.
Orbited the Moon, testing communications for a crewed programme.
- 1969Luna 1969A (Ye-8 No.201)Launch
The first Lunokhod rover: its Proton rocket exploded 40 seconds after launch.
- 1969Luna 1969BLaunch
Tentatively identified as a sample-return attempt; the Proton launch failed.
- 1969Luna 1969C (Ye-8-5 No.402)Launch
A sample-return attempt; the Proton launch failed.
A sample-return attempt that crashed while Apollo 11's crew was on the Moon.
- 1969Kosmos 300 (Ye-8-5 No.403)Launch
A sample-return craft stranded in Earth orbit when its upper stage failed.
- 1969Kosmos 305 (Ye-8-5 No.404)Launch
Another sample-return craft stranded in Earth orbit when its upper stage failed.
- 1970Luna 1970A (Ye-8-5 No.405)Launch
Tentatively identified as a sample-return attempt; the rocket failed before orbit.
- 1970Luna 1970BLaunch
Tentatively identified as an orbiter to search for landing sites; the rocket failed and it fell into the Pacific.
The first robotic sample return from the Moon: 101 grams of soil.
Delivered Lunokhod 1, the first rover on another world.
A sample-return attempt that crashed on its descent.
Orbited the Moon for more than a year, mapping its gravity.
Returned 30 grams of soil from the lunar highlands.
Delivered the second Lunokhod rover.
The last Soviet lunar orbiter, active for 18 months.
Damaged on landing in Mare Crisium; no sample returned.
- 1975Luna 1975A (Ye-8-5M No.412)Launch
A sample-return attempt aimed at Mare Crisium; a booster problem kept it from reaching orbit.
The last Luna: returned 170.1 grams of soil from Mare Crisium.
Images
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