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Luna 20

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description Luna 20 Overview

Luna 20 was an uncrewed Soviet lunar mission that landed on the Moon and returned a soil sample to Earth in 1972. Its spacecraft collected material from the Apollonius highlands, providing a sample from a geologically different region than the mare terrain sampled by Luna 16. The ascent stage carried the sealed material back in a return capsule, making Luna 20 the Soviet program's second successful robotic lunar sample-return mission.

help Luna 20 FAQ

How much lunar soil did the Luna 20 mission actually bring back to Earth?

The Soviet Luna 20 mission successfully returned to Earth in 1972 with a small sample of lunar soil. It brought back only about 55 grams of material from the Moon's highland region, which was less than the Luna 16 mission.

Where on the Moon did the Luna 20 probe land?

Luna 20 touched down in a mountainous region of the Moon known as the Apollonius highlands. This area was selected to gather samples from the lunar highlands, contrasting with the mare regions targeted by some earlier Soviet probes.

How does Luna 20 fit into the timeline of the Soviet Luna program?

Luna 20 launched in February 1972 and served as an automated sample return mission. It was essentially a successful follow-up to Luna 15 and Luna 18, both of which failed in their sample return objectives.

Did the United States or the Soviet Union build the Luna 20 spacecraft?

Luna 20 was built and operated by the Soviet Union. It was an uncrewed, robotic spacecraft launched via a Proton-K rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

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