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TOPIC: Luna 23 mission

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Oct 27 22:15 2013

RE: Luna 23 mission	Permalink

The Luna 23 lunar sample return spacecraft was launched on the 28th October, 1974. Read more __________________

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Oct 27 22:13 2013

Asteroid 2010 KQ	Permalink

Near-infrared spectral measurements of this object carried out by S.J. Bus (University of Hawaii) using the NASA IRTF telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, indicate that its spectral characteristics do not match those of any of the known asteroid types, and in fact are similar to those of a rocket body. The object's absolute magnitude (28.9) also suggests that it is only a few meters in size, about the size of an upper stage. Additional observations over the coming months should allow scientists to discern how strongly solar radiation pressure affects the object's motion, a result that could help distinguish a solid, rocky asteroid from a lighter man-made object. Astronomer Richard Miles believes 2010 KQ may be the 4th stage of the Russian Proton rocket from the Luna 23 mission, launched October 28, 1974 Read more __________________

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Mar 28 23:55 2012

Luna 23 mission	Permalink

Soviet Moon Mystery Solved By NASA, 50 Years Later Luna 15 marks the Soviet Union's intersection with Apollo; Luna 15, the third designed for a sample collection and return, was launched three days before Apollo 11. On July 20, 1969, as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history's first manned lunar landing, the orbiting Luna 15 fired its retrorockets to descend towards the surface. Unfortunately, it crashed while the Apollo 11 crew was partway through their historic moonwalk. Luna 23 met a similar fate. Launched on October 28, 1974, it malfunctioned halfway through its mission and ended up crashing on the surface in the Mare Crisium (the Sea of Crisis in the northwest on the Earth-facing side). The spacecraft stayed in contact with Earth after its hard landing, but it couldn't get a sample. Mission scientists expected the spacecraft had tipped over as a result of its landing, but without a way to image the moon at a high resolution, they weren't able to confirm, and the mystery endured. It turns out they were indeed right. The whole spacecraft is still on the surface, its ascent engine never fired, and high resolution image from LRO's cameras show the spacecraft lying on its side. Read more __________________

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