Status
Failure
E-3 n°3 (Luna-3)
Launch Time
Sat Apr 16, 1960 16:07 UTC
Sat Apr 16, 1960 16:07 UTC
The launch was a failure due to an unknown error.
Rocket
Mission Details
E-3 n°3 (Luna-3)
This probe was launched onto a free-return trajectory around the moon and its purpose was to photograph its far side, which was sunlit at the time. It took 29 pictures covering 70% of the moon's far side and transmitted them when it came back near Earth, but due to poor signal strength only 17 poor-quality pictures were successfully sent. Nevertheless, after image stitching and computer enhancement they created an Atlas of the Far Side of the Moon, which was very exciting for everyone worldwide. It showed a mountainous surface, very different from the near side.
Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 279.0 kg
Trans Lunar Injection
Location
Site 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan
Stats
1960
10th orbital launch attempt
Vostok
9th mission
2nd mission of 1960
6th failed mission