 Image taken by Lunar Orbiter 4, showing the Moon with a crescent Earth in the background. Enhanced by LOIRP. | |
| Mission type | Lunar orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| COSPAR ID | 1967-041A |
| SATCAT no. | 2772 |
| Mission duration | 180 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Langley Research Center |
| Launch mass | 385.6 kilograms (850 lb)[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | May 4, 1967, 22:25:00 UTC[1] |
| Rocket | Atlas SLV-3 Agena-D |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral LC-13 |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | July 17, 1967[1] |
| Decay date | October 6, 1967[1] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Selenocentric |
| Semi-major axis | 6,152.5 kilometers (3,823.0 mi) |
| Eccentricity | 0.28 |
| Periselene altitude | 4,449 kilometers (2,764 mi) |
| Aposelene altitude | 7,856 kilometers (4,881 mi) |
| Inclination | 85.5 degrees |
| Period | 721 minutes |
| Epoch | March 7, 1967, 20:00:00 UTC[2] |
| Lunar orbiter | |
| Orbital insertion | May 8, 1967, 21:54 UTC |
| Orbits | 360 |
Lunar Orbiter 4 was a robotic U.S. spacecraft, part of the Lunar Orbiter Program,[3] designed to orbit the Moon, after the three previous orbiters had completed the required needs for Apollo mapping and site selection. It was given a more general objective, to "perform a broad systematic photographic survey of lunar surface features in order to increase the scientific knowledge of their nature, origin, and processes, and to serve as a basis for selecting sites for more detailed scientific study by subsequent orbital and landing missions".[2] It was also equipped to collect selenodetic, radiation intensity, and micrometeoroid impact data.
- ^ a b c d Siddiqi, Asif A. (2018). Beyond Earth A Chronicle of Deep Space Exploration, 1958–2016 (PDF). NASA. ISBN 9781626830431. LCCN 2017058675. SP-2018-4041. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 12, 2024.
- ^ a b "Lunar Orbiter 4". NSSDCA Master Catalog. NASA. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
- ^ Byers, Bruce K. (April 1977). Destination MOON: A History of the Lunar Orbiter Program (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. hdl:2060/19770016195. TM X-3487. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 17, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2022.