Luna-Glob

History

The Luna-Glob programme is a continuation of the Soviet Union Luna programme that sent at least 24 orbiters and landers between 1959 and 1976 to the Moon, of which fifteen were successful. The last mission was Luna 24, launched on 9 August 1976.

Initially, the first Luna-Glob mission was planned as orbiter with ground penetrating sensors. Four Japanese-built penetrators inherited from the Lunar-A were to be used, each 45 kg (100 lb), including 14 kg (31 lb) for the penetrator proper. Furthermore, seismic experiments were planned, including the use of four penetrators, which will slam into the lunar surface equipped to detect seismic signals. These experiments are expected to help clarify the origin of the Moon. Two of the penetrators are planned to land near the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 landing sites, taking advantage of seismic data gathered there from 1969 to 1974. The payload of the orbiter will total 120 kg and include astrophysics experiments, dust monitors, plasma sensors, including the LORD astronomy payload, designed to study ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.

Luna-Resurs (Luna 27) was initially planned as a joint orbiter-rover mission (the orbiter was to be the Indian Chandrayaan-2) that would have featured a 58 kg Russian rover and lander, as part of the cancelled International Lunar Network. This joint mission would have landed in the Moon's south pole, examine a crater and operate for up to one year. Due to the loss of Fobos-Grunt in 2011 which was planned as a test for the landing system, Russia cited its inability to provide the lander and rover within the proposed time. India then decided to develop the lunar mission independently, achieving their moon landing with Chandrayaan-3.

List of missions

Unlike their predecessors, the new Luna missions are targeted at the lunar poles. As of 2019, the next missions have been announced:

Gallery

File:Maquette-Luna-Glob-Lander-b-DSC 0075.jpg|Luna 25 File:Maquette-Luna-Resurs-Orbiter-DSC 0076.jpg|Luna 26 File:Lunar-Resurs-DSC 0019.jpg|Luna 27

Future lunar base

It was planned in 2008 that Luna-Glob, a "robotic proving ground", would be followed by a robotic base, known in Russian as Lunny Poligon – or Lunar Range, and this base would progress with the construction of a habitable lunar base that would have several components: solar power station, telecommunication station, technological station, scientific station, long-range research rover, landing and launch area, and a telecom orbiting satellite.

When the robotic phase is completed, the programme will continue with crewed lunar missions in the 2030s, starting with a crewed orbiter mission on a spacecraft called Orel. In 2017, it was reported that Russia was planning to begin building the lunar base in the 2030s.

References

References

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