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Luna 24 Descent Craft
The last of the Luna series of spacecraft, the Luna 24 probe was the third Soviet mission to retrieve lunar ground samples. Luna 24 Descent Craft was launched on August 9, 1976 aboard a Proton-K/D-1 from Baikonur. Latest status in GCAT: left for deep space attached to another object (Aug 10, 1976).
COSPAR 1976-081ENORAD 9384Soviet Union
Identity
- Name in GCAT
- Luna-24 VA
- Common name
- Luna 24 Descent Craft
- Payload designation
- VA
- International designator
- 1976-081E
- NORAD catalog number
- 9384
- GCAT identifier
- S09384
Mission
- Mission type
- Deep space
- Use
- Civil government
- Program
- E-8-5 VA
- Owner
- IKI
- Country
- Soviet Union
- Builder
- NPO Lavochkin
- Platform (bus)
- Luna VA
Launch
- Date
- August 9, 1976 · 15:04 UTC
- Launch record
- 1976-081Success
- Rocket
- Proton-K/D-1
- Spaceport
- Baikonur · pad LC81/23
Orbit and fate
- Orbit class (GCAT)
- CLO
- Perigee
- 0 km
- Apogee
- 400,000 km
- Inclination
- 51.50°
- Status
- Left for deep space attached to another object
- Status date
- August 10, 1976
- Last known active
- Aug 19, 1976
- End of operations
- Aug 19, 1976
Size
- Mass
- 39 kg
- Dry mass
- 39 kg
- Length
- 0.5 m
- Diameter
- 0.50 m
- Span
- 0.5 m
Deep space
- Deep-space catalog entry
- D01075
- Final central body
- Earth
- Phase start
- August 19, 1976
- Phase outcome
- Released · August 23, 1976
Flight phases
| From | Central body | Ended | Outcome | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 1976 | Luna | Aug 19, 1976 | Escaped to another body, attached | Earth |
| Aug 23, 1976 | Earth | Aug 23, 1976 | Landed | Surgut |
Landings and impacts
| World | Type | Result | Touchdown | Site | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna | Ascent vehicle | Landed and operated | Aug 18, 1976 | — | 12.71, 62.21 |
Launched together
Source: GCAT payload, deep-space and lander catalogs, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata Q112960050 (CC0).