Luna program

The Luna program (Lunik) was a series of 24 unmanned space missions sent to the Moon by the Soviet Union between 1959 and 1976. 15 were successful, each designed as either an orbiter or lander, and accomplished many firsts in space exploration. They also performed many experiments, studying the Moon's chemical composition, gravity, temperature, and radiation.

Luna 1 missed its intended impact with the Moon and became the first spacecraft to fall into orbit around the Sun. In 1959, the second Luna mission successfully impacted upon the lunar surface, becoming the first man-made object to reach another world. Luna 3 orbited the Moon later that year, and returned the first photographs of its far side, which can never be seen from Earth.

The Soviet Union soon learned to build spacecrafts which could perform soft landings on the lunar surface, and send back panoramic photos from their landing sites. Lunas 17 and 21 even carried roving vehicles which roamed around on the Moon's terrain (see Lunokhod program).

Another major achievement of the Luna program was the ability to collect samples of lunar soil and return them to Earth, by 1970. However, these accomplishments were overshadowed by the U.S. Apollo missions which had already placed humans on the Moon by this time.

• Luna 1
  • Launched January 2 1959
  • Lunar Flyby
• Luna 2
  • Launched September 12 1959
  • Impacted Moon September 14 1959 at ~07:30:00 UT
  • Latitude 29.10 N, Longitude 0.00 - Palus Putredinis
• Luna 3
  • Launched October 4 1959
  • Lunar Flyby
• Luna 4
  • Launched April 2 1963
  • Lunar Flyby
• Luna 5
  • Launched May 9 1965
  • Impacted Moon - Sea of Clouds
• Luna 6
  • Launched June 8 1965
  • Attempted Lander - Missed Moon
• Luna 7
  • Launched October 4 1965
  • Lunar Impact - Sea of Storms
• Luna 8
  • Launched December 3 1965
  • Lunar Impact - Sea of Storms
• Luna 9
  • Launched January 31 1966
  • Landed on Moon February 3 1966 at 18:44:52 UT
  • Latitude 7.08 N, Longitude 295.63 E - Oceanus Procellarum
• Luna 10
  • Launched March 31 1966
  • Lunar Orbiter
• Luna 11
  • Launched August 24 1966
  • Lunar Orbiter
• Luna 12
  • Launched October 22 1966
  • Lunar Orbiter
• Luna 13
  • Launched December 21 1966
  • Landed on Moon December 24 1966 at 18:01:00 UT
  • Latitude 18.87 N, 297.95 E - Oceanus Procellarum
• Luna 14
  • Launched April 7 1968
  • Lunar Orbiter
• Luna 15
  • Launched July 13 1969
  • Lunar Orbiter
• Luna 16
  • Launched September 12 1970
  • Landed on Moon September 20 1970 at 05:18:00 UT
  • Latitude 0.68 S, Longitude 56.30 E - Mare Fecunditatis
  • Lunar Sample Return
• Luna 17
  • Launched November 10 1970
  • Landed on Moon November 17 1970 at 03:47:00 UT
  • Latitude 38.28 N, Longitude 325.00 E - Mare Imbrium
  • Lunar Rover - Lunokhod 1
• Luna 18
  • Launched September 2 1971
  • Lunar Impact
  • Latitude 3.57 N, Longitude 50.50 E - Mare Fecunditatis
• Luna 19
  • Launched September 28 1971
  • Lunar Orbiter
• Luna 20
  • Launched February 14 1972
  • Landed on Moon February 21 1972 at 19:19:00 UT
  • Latitude 3.57 N, Longitude 56.50 E - Mare Fecunditatis
  • Lunar Sample Return to Earth February 25 1972
• Luna 21
  • Launched January 8 1973
  • Landed on Moon January 15 1973 at 23:35:00 UT
  • Latitude 25.85 N, Longitude 30.45 E - LeMonnier Crater
  • Lunar Rover - Lunokhod 2
• Luna 22
  • Launched June 2 1974
  • Lunar Orbiter
• Luna 23
  • Launched October 28 1974
  • Lunar Lander - Mare Crisium
• Luna 24
  • Launched August 14 1976
  • Landed on Moon August 18 1976 at 02:00:00 UT
  • Latitude 12.25 N, Longitude 62.20 E - Mare Crisium
  • Lunar Sample Return