 A replica of an E-1 spacecraft | |
| Mission type | Lunar impactor |
|---|---|
| Operator | Soviet space program |
| Mission duration | Failed to orbit |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | OKB-1 |
| Launch mass | 361 kilograms (796 lb) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 4 December 1958, |
| Rocket | Luna 8K72 s/n B1-5 |
| Launch site | Baikonur 1/5 |
Luna E-1 No.3,[1] sometimes identified by NASA as Luna 1958C,[2] was a Soviet spacecraft which was lost in a launch failure in 1958. It was a 361-kilogram (796 lb) Luna E-1 spacecraft, the third of four to be launched,[3] all of which were involved in launch failures.[4] It was intended to impact the surface of the Moon, and in doing so become the first man-made object to reach its surface.
The spacecraft was intended to release 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of sodium, in order to create a cloud of the metal which could be observed from Earth, allowing the spacecraft to be tracked.[5] Prior to the release of information about its mission, NASA correctly identified that it had been an attempted Lunar impact mission.[2]
Luna E-1 No.3 was launched on 4 December 1958 atop a Luna 8K72 carrier rocket,[4] flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[1]Modifications to correct the vibration issue on previous launches by installing dampers on the LOX feed lines worked and the booster completed the strap-on burn successfully. However, the launch was another failure as the core stage lost thrust at T+245 seconds. Engine performance fell to 70% and it began deviating from its flight trajectory. The AVD system terminated thrust and the booster fell 4,200 km (2,609 miles) downrange. Investigation found that a gear of the core stage hydrogen peroxide pump was improperly lubricated and failed during flight, causing loss of turbopump performance and engine thrust.[4]
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
- ^ a b Williams, David R. (6 January 2005). "Tentatively Identified Missions and Launch Failures". NASA NSSDC. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Luna E-1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
- ^ a b c Wade, Mark. "Soyuz". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
- ^ Wade, Mark. "Luna E-1". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 22 December 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2010.