 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 | 11 October 1958 |
| Rocket | Luna 8K72 s/n B1-4 |
| Launch site | Baikonur 1/5 |
Luna E-1 No.2,[1] sometimes identified by NASA as Luna 1958B,[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 second of four to be launched.[3] 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.[4] Prior to the release of information about its mission, NASA correctly identified that it had been an attempted Lunar impact mission.[2]
Facing continued political pressure to beat the US, Sergei Korolev lost his temper and exclaimed "Do you think only American rockets explode!?" Once again, he knew that the Pioneer 1 probe was set for launch on October 11, but again decided to wait. Just like with the attempt in August, the US Moon shot failed to attain orbit.
Luna E-1 No.2 was launched on 12 October 1958 atop a Luna 8K72 carrier rocket, flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[1] As the Pogo oscillation issue on Luna E-1 No.1 could not be adequately resolved due to the rushed launch schedules, a couple of stopgap measures were tried including disabling the propellant utilization system at T+85 seconds and throttling the engines down to reduce structural loads on the stack. The booster flew until T+104 seconds when it exploded once again from vibration rupturing the propellant lines.[4]
- ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. 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 Reichl, Eugen (2019). The Soviet Space Program - The Lunar Mission Years: 1959 to 1976. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. p. 15-17,21. Retrieved 25 January 2024.