Luna 1, 2 & 3 - 50 years hence |
Luna 1, 2 & 3 - 50 years hence |
Dec 8 2008, 09:24 PM
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 149 Joined: 18-June 08 Member No.: 4216 |
Hi All,
I am not sure whether this is of interest to the community, but next year will see three rather significant 50th anniversaries in unmanned lunar and interplanetary spaceflight, those of Luna-1, the first probe to escape the gravitational field of the Earth (lunar impact intended), Luna-2, the first probe to actually hit the Moon and Luna 3, the first probe to image the Moon's far side. Luna-1 was launched on 2nd January 1959 and flew by the Moon on the 4th of the same month at a distance of 6000 km on its way to heliocentric orbit. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1959-012A Luna-2 was launched on the 12th of September of the same year, hitting the Moon on the 14th in the Palus Putredinus region (0 degrees longitude, 29 degrees N latitude) near the crater Archimedes. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1959-014A Luna-3 was launched less than a month later on 4th October (the second anniversary of Sputnik-1), swung around the Moon to image the far side on the 7th and transmittted its data to the Earth by the 18th. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1959-008A I don't know about you but I'm thinking of raising a glass of champagne a day later than New Year's Day in honour of Korolev and his merry band of pioneers. Happy Holidays to All, Tolis. |
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Jan 20 2009, 04:07 AM
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#2
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Solar System Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 10184 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
"The Soviets with their much less capable industry... "
Nobody who could build something as amazing as Luna 3 in 1959 - 1959 for heaven's sake! - could be said to have a 'much less capable industry'. It's certainly true that they were behind in electronics, but their elegant and ingenious engineering solutions found a way to make things happen. They had different capabilities. Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Also to be found posting similar content on https://mastodon.social/@PhilStooke Maps for download (free PD: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...Cartography.pdf NOTE: everything created by me which I post on UMSF is considered to be in the public domain (NOT CC, public domain) |
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Jan 20 2009, 08:36 AM
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#3
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 23 Joined: 29-November 05 From: france Member No.: 591 |
I totally agree whith your opinion, Phil. Soviet electronic was crude,but they find solutions. |
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