Mission Details
| Mission Name: Luna 23 |
| Mission Type: Lunar Lander |
| Operator: Soviet Union (Roscosmos) |
| Launching State: Soviet Union/Russia |
| Location: Mare Crisium |
| Latitude: 12.6667 |
| Longitude: 62.1511 |
| Launch Date: 28 October 1974, 14:30:32 UT |
| Landing Date: 6 November 1974 |
| Objects on or Related to Site: Luna 23 |
| Image Source: NASA |
Description
Luna 23 was to drill 2.5 meters below the lunar surface (compared to the 0.3-m depth of the cores sampled by Luna 16 and 20) and return a sample of the soil to Earth.
Read more:
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/luna-23/in-depth/
Heritage Consideration
The drilling apparatus was damaged during landing, preventing execution of the sample return mission.
Object on or Related to Site
| Object Name: Luna 23 | |
| Cospar: 1974-084A | |
| Norad: N/A | |
| Location: Precise location unknown or undisclosed. | |
| Launch Date: 28 October 1974, 14:30:32 UT | |
| Landing Date: 6 November 1974 | |
| Deployment: N/A | |
| End Date: N/A | |
| Function: Lunar sample return. | |
| Image Source: NASA |
Description
Luna 23 was a Moon lander mission which was intended to return a lunar sample to Earth. Launched to the Moon by a Proton SL-12/D-1-e booster, the spacecraft was damaged during landing in Mare Crisium (Sea of Crises) at 12.6669 N, 62.1511 E. The sample collecting apparatus could not operate and no samples were returned. The lander continued transmissions for 3 days after landing. In 1976, Luna 24 landed several hundred meters away and successfully returned samples.
Read more:
https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1974-084A
