NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Luna 7

Launch Time
Mon Oct 04, 1965 07:36 UTC

First flight of Molniya, and first flight of Molniya/Block L

Rocket

Molniya-M/Block L
RVSN USSR
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 4,391 kN
Payload to LEO: 6,200 kg
Payload to GTO: 2,400 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 4
Rocket Height: 44.23 m
Fairing Diameter: 2.58 m
Fairing Height: 6.74 m

Mission Details

Luna 7

Luna 7 (E-6 series) was an unmanned space mission of the Soviet Luna program, also called Lunik 7. The Luna 7 spacecraft was intended to achieve a soft landing on the Moon. However, due to premature retrofire and cutoff of the retrorockets, the spacecraft impacted the lunar surface in Oceanus Procellarum.

Lunar map showing the location of Luna 7 in relation to other rovers and landing sites. Lower left, on top of the scale bar.
Unlike its predecessors successfully carried out its mid-course correction on October 5 on the way to the Moon, in anticipation of a soft-landing two days later. However, immediately prior to planned retro-fire during the approach to the lunar surface, the spacecraft suddenly lost attitude control and failed to regain it. Automatic programmed systems then prevented the main engine from firing. As controllers observed helplessly, Luna 7 plummeted to the lunar surface at a very high speed, crashing at 22:08:24 UT on October 7, 1965, west of the Kepler crater, relatively near the actual intended target. Impact coordinates were 9°N 49°W. Later investigation indicated that the optical sensor of the astronavigation system had been set at the wrong angle and had lost sight of Earth during the critical attitude-control maneuver. It was the tenth consecutive failure in the Ye-6 program.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 1,504.0 kg
Lunar orbit

Location

Site 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Stats

1965

87th orbital launch attempt

Molniya-M

1st mission
1st mission of 1965
1st successful mission