 Model of a Soviet Lunokhod program rover | |
| Mission type | Lunar rover |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1970-095A |
| Website | Lunar and Planetary Department Moscow University Lunokhod 1 page |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 5,600 kilograms (12,300 lb) |
| Dry mass | 756 kilograms (1,667 lb) (rover only) |
| Power | 180 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | November 10, 1970 |
| Rocket | Proton-K/D |
| Launch site | Baikonur 81/23 |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | September 14, 1971 |
| Lunar rover | |
| Spacecraft component | Rover |
| Landing date | November 17, 1970, 03:47:00 UTC |
| Landing site | 38°14′16″N 35°00′06″W / 38.2378°N 35.0017°W |
Lunokhod 1 (Russian: Луноход-1 "Moonwalker 1"), also known as Аппарат 8ЕЛ № 203 ("Device 8EL No. 203") was the first robotic rover on the Moon and the first to freely move across the surface of an astronomical object beyond the Earth.[1] Sent by the Soviet Union it was part of the robotic rovers Lunokhod program. The Luna 17 spacecraft carried Lunokhod 1 to the Moon in 1970. Lunokhod 0 (No.201), the previous and first attempt to land a rover, launched in February 1969 but failed to reach Earth orbit.
Although only designed for a lifetime of three lunar days (approximately three Earth months), Lunokhod 1 operated on the lunar surface for eleven lunar days (321 Earth days) and traversed a total distance of 10.54 km.[2]
- ^ Siddiqi, Asif A. (2018). Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (PDF). The NASA history series (second ed.). Washington, DC: NASA History Program Office. p. 1. ISBN 9781626830424. LCCN 2017059404. SP2018-4041.
- ^ Howell, Elizabeth (December 19, 2016). "Lunokhod 1: 1st Successful Lunar Rover", Space.com. Retrieved May 31, 2018.