Mission type | Lunar sample return |
---|---|
Operator | Soviet space program |
COSPAR ID | 1971-073A |
SATCAT no. | 5448 |
Mission duration | 9 days (launch day to day of last contact) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Bus | Ye-8-5 |
Manufacturer | GSMZ Lavochkin |
Launch mass | 5,725 kilograms (12,621 lb)[1] |
Dry mass | 5,600 kilograms (12,300 lb)[citation needed] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 2 September 1971, 13:40:40[1] | UTC
Rocket | Proton-K/D |
Launch site | Baikonur 81/24 |
End of mission | |
Last contact | 11 September 1971, 07:48 | UTC
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Selenocentric |
Eccentricity | 0.001361 |
Periselene altitude | 1,824.9 kilometres (1,133.9 mi) |
Aposelene altitude | 1,842.3 kilometres (1,144.8 mi) |
Inclination | 35 degrees |
Period | 119 minutes |
Epoch | 6 September 1971, 20:00:00 UTC[2] |
Lunar orbiter | |
Orbital insertion | 7 September 1971 |
Orbits | 54[2] |
Lunar impact (failed landing) | |
Impact date | 11 September 1971 07:48 UTC |
Impact site | 3°34′N 56°30′E / 3.567°N 56.500°E |
Instruments | |
Stereo photographic imaging system Remote arm for sample collection Radiation detector Radio altimeter | |
Luna 18, part of the Ye-8-5 series, was an uncrewed space mission of the Luna program.