Luna 8
In this article we are going to analyze and discuss Luna 8, a topic that has generated great interest and debate in today's society. From different perspectives and approaches, we will address the most relevant and controversial aspects related to Luna 8, with the aim of providing a complete and detailed view on this topic. Throughout this article, we will explore its impact in different areas, as well as the implications and consequences it entails. Likewise, we will examine the different opinions and positions on the matter, offering a critical and objective analysis. Through this analysis, we aim to offer a comprehensive view of Luna 8 and its relevance today.
 Oblique view of Planitia Descensus showing crash site of Luna 8 and the landing point of Luna 9 (Lunar Orbiter 3 image) | |
| Mission type | Lunar lander |
|---|---|
| Operator | Soviet space program |
| COSPAR ID | 1965-099A |
| SATCAT no. | 1810 |
| Mission duration | 3 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | Ye-6 |
| Manufacturer | OKB-1 |
| Launch mass | 1,550 kilograms (3,420 lb)[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 3 December 1965, 10:46:14 UTC[1] |
| Rocket | Molniya 8K78 |
| Launch site | Baikonur 31/6 |
| Lunar impact (failed landing) | |
| Impact date | 6 December 1965, 21:51:30 UTC[1] |
| Impact site | 9°06′N 63°18′W / 9.1°N 63.3°W[1] |
Luna 8 (E-6 or Ye-6 series), also known as Lunik 8, was a lunar space probe of the Luna program.
Mission
It was launched in on 3 December 1965 with the objective of achieving a soft landing on the Moon; however, its retrorocket firing occurred too late, and suffered a hard impact on the lunar surface on the Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms). The mission did complete the experimental testing of its stellar-guidance system and the ground-control of its radio telemetry equipment, its flight trajectory, and its other instrumentation.
This, the eleventh Soviet attempt to achieve a lunar soft landing, nearly succeeded. After a successful midcourse correction on 4 December, this spacecraft headed toward the Moon without any apparent problems. Just before the scheduled firing of its retrorocket, a command was sent to inflate cushioning air bags around the landing probe. However, a plastic mounting bracket apparently pierced one of the two air bags. The resulting ejection of the air put the spacecraft into a spin of about 12 degrees per second. The spacecraft momentarily regained its proper attitude, long enough for a nine-second-long retrorocket firing, but Luna 8 became unstable again. Without a retrorocket burn long enough to reduce its velocity sufficiently for a survivable landing, Luna 8 plummeted to the lunar surface and crashed at 21:51:30 UT on 6 December in the west of Oceanus Procellarum. The coordinates of the crash site are 9°06′N 63°18′W / 9.1°N 63.3°W.[1]
