 Luna 21 as seen from orbit by the LRO in March 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mission type | Planetary Science | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Soviet space program | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| COSPAR ID | 1973-001A | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATCAT no. | 6333 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mission duration | 8 days (day of launch to day of landing) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft | s/n 204 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft type | Ye-8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | GSMZ Lavochkin | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch mass | 5,700 kg (12,600 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dry mass | 4,850 kg (10,690 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch date | 06:55:38, 8 January 1973 (UTC)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rocket | Proton-K/D | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch site | Baikonur 81/23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reference system | Selenocentric | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Periselene altitude | 90 km (56 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aposelene altitude | 100 km (62 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inclination | 60° | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moon orbiter | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital insertion | 12 January 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbits | ~36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moon lander | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Landing date | 22:35, 15 January 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Landing site | 25°51′N 30°27′E / 25.85°N 30.45°E[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moon rover | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft component | Lunokhod 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Landing date | 01:14, 16 January 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance driven | 42 km (26 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Luna 21 (Ye-8 series) was an uncrewed space mission, and its spacecraft, of the Luna program, also called Lunik 21, in 1973. The spacecraft landed on the Moon and deployed the second Soviet lunar rover, Lunokhod 2. The primary objectives of the mission were to collect images of the lunar surface, examine ambient light levels to determine the feasibility of astronomical observations from the Moon, perform laser ranging experiments from Earth, observe solar X-rays, measure local magnetic fields, and study mechanical properties of the lunar surface material.
- ^ a b Siddiqi, Asif (2018). Beyond Earth: A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (PDF) (second ed.). NASA History Program Office. ISBN 9781626830431.
- ^ "NASA NSSDC Master Catalog - Luna 21/Lunokhod 2". Retrieved 1 January 2011.