Printable Version of Topic

Click here to view this topic in its original format

Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ Lunar Exploration _ Sad end of a once proud moonrover

Posted by: Geert Feb 28 2010, 12:52 PM

Engineering model (?) of Lunokhod 1 moonrover found in a container on courtyard of the Institute for Space Studies

see:

http://andrey-rogovsky.habrahabr.ru/blog/85809/#comment_2563853

According tohttp://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http://andrey-rogovsky.habrahabr.ru/blog/85809/%23comment_2563853&sl=ru&tl=en, there are a lot more containers on that same courtyard, nobody seems to know what's inside..

Posted by: Paolo Feb 28 2010, 01:18 PM

the poor frog... what a sad end!

Posted by: stevesliva Feb 28 2010, 03:02 PM

QUOTE (Geert @ Feb 28 2010, 08:52 AM)

there are a lot more containers on that same courtyard, nobody seems to know what's inside..

I am reminded of Indiana Jones.

Life imitates art, I guess.

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Feb 28 2010, 03:06 PM

It's worth noting that the article has some pointed political commentary, so let's keep this discussion to the spacecraft remnants.

Posted by: Geert Feb 28 2010, 03:20 PM

QUOTE (ElkGroveDan @ Feb 28 2010, 10:06 PM)

It's worth noting that the article has some pointed political commentary, so let's keep this discussion to the spacecraft remnants.

Fully agree.

But seeing images like that, I wish I had the time/resources/money to get over there, buy the whole lot, sort it out, and restore it in its original glory. So much gets lost which should belong in some museum..

Posted by: eoincampbell Feb 28 2010, 03:20 PM

Is there anything to suggest a reconstruction?

Posted by: tasp Feb 28 2010, 07:38 PM

I trust the highly radioactive polonium heating element was removed . . . . .

Posted by: Explorer1 Feb 28 2010, 10:24 PM

QUOTE (ElkGroveDan @ Feb 28 2010, 07:06 AM)

It's worth noting that the article has some pointed political commentary, so let's keep this discussion to the spacecraft remnants.

My Cyrrilic isn't that good enough to read anyway, so no issue there.

Anyway: it's a real shame that so much of these priceless artifacts end up rusting in some forgotten scrap bin! Surely, surely, someone out there has the resources to rescue them from oblivion. Not just the sentimental value, but practical value for historians of the future.
We have no idea what Columbus's ships looked like, remember. No contemporary likeness of them exists!

Posted by: nprev Feb 28 2010, 10:37 PM

Man, that photo is just heartbreaking.

On the plus side, she looks to be in pretty good shape considering how much time has passed. I'm optimistic that someone will rescue her!

Posted by: Juramike Feb 28 2010, 11:31 PM

It's been found and noted. Isn't that a good start?

Man, it would be neat to go through those other boxes!

Posted by: lyford Mar 1 2010, 03:25 AM

QUOTE (tasp @ Feb 28 2010, 11:38 AM)

I trust the highly radioactive polonium heating element was removed . . . . .

There's no guarantee of that... !

I'm impressed at how shiny it still looks, even with the paint peeling. The Lunokhods always looked like they would be more at home at the bottom of the sea to me than on the Moon what with their pressurized bodies, but that's just my Western "Surveyor bias" showing I guess....

Posted by: Geert Mar 1 2010, 04:34 AM

QUOTE (lyford @ Mar 1 2010, 11:25 AM)

I'm impressed at how shiny it still looks, even with the paint peeling.

The lunokhod's on display were as far as I know always nicely painted white, but I suspect the original flight model wasn't painted or might have been covered with thermal blankets (similar to Soyuz, which is also often displayed without these blankets), the few images which show the assembly of the original craft do not seem to show a white craft (see attached).

The craft in the container seems similar to Lunokhod 1 (although there were a few launch failures prior Lunokhod 1 so it might have been an engineering model of one of those), Lunokhod 2 and 3 had different camera positions. But from the one image it's impossible to tell whether this sad craft is a more or less flightworthy model or some prototype or display-unit or whatever.

I dearly would love to take a look and open up those other containers and boxes to see what 'treasures' are inside (although, indeed, I would carry a geiger counter with me..).

Posted by: Geert Mar 2 2010, 01:58 PM

Received the following message from Igor Lissov:

QUOTE

I have got official response from Olga Zakutnyaya
in the PR office of the Space Research Institute. The Institute indeed
received 14 boxes with different copies of Soviet spacecraft for
restauration and exhibition. They state that the copy of Lunokhod will
be revealed this April 12, and other exhibits will be ready by October 4.

So, action is indeed being taken and we should see Lunokhod restaured in its original glory!

Posted by: cbcnasa Mar 4 2010, 04:47 PM

It hurts to see history being neglected and allowed to rust away. Restoring these artifacts for display will be educational and inspirational. Can it be assumed that other artifacts will be offered for restoration elsewhere?

Posted by: lyford Mar 4 2010, 07:36 PM

QUOTE (Geert @ Mar 2 2010, 05:58 AM)

So, action is indeed being taken and we should see Lunokhod restaured in its original glory!

And we hope to see some LRO images to add to that museum display soon!

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2010/pdf/2173.pdf