Luna E-6 No.8 Explained

Luna E-6 No.8
Mission Type:Lunar lander
Operator:Soviet space program
Mission Duration:Failed to orbit
Spacecraft Type:Ye-6
Manufacturer:OKB-1
Launch Rocket:Molniya-L 8K78L
Launch Site:Baikonur 1/5
Programme:Luna programme
Previous Mission:Kosmos 60
Next Mission:Luna 5

Luna E-6 No.8 (Ye-6 series), sometimes identified by NASA as Luna 1965A,[1] was a Soviet spacecraft which was lost in a launch failure in 1965. It was a 1422kg (3,135lb) Luna Ye-6 spacecraft,[2] the seventh of twelve to be launched,[3] It was intended to be the first spacecraft to perform a soft landing on the Moon, a goal which would eventually be accomplished by the final Ye-6 spacecraft, Luna 9.

Luna E-6 No.8 was launched on 10 April 1965, atop a Molniya-L 8K78L carrier rocket, flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[4] During third stage flight, a nitrogen pipeline in the oxidiser tank depressurised, which caused a loss of oxidiser flow to the engine and resulted in the engine cutting off. The spacecraft failed to achieve orbit, and the spacecraft disintegrated on reentry.[5] Prior to the release of information about its mission, NASA correctly identified that it had been an attempt to land a spacecraft on the Moon.[1]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tentatively Identified Missions and Launch Failures . NASA NSSDC. David R.. Williams. 30 July 2010. 6 January 2005.
  2. Web site: Luna E-6. https://web.archive.org/web/20020225144738/http://www.astronautix.com/craft/lunae6.htm. dead. February 25, 2002. Wade. Mark. Encyclopedia Astronautica. 27 July 2010.
  3. Web site: Luna E-6. Krebs. Gunter. Gunter's Space Page. 27 July 2010.
  4. Web site: Launch Log. McDowell. Jonathan. Jonathan's Space Page. 27 July 2010.
  5. Web site: Soyuz . Wade . Mark . Encyclopedia Astronautica . 27 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100107163113/http://astronautix.com/lvs/soyuz.htm . 7 January 2010 .