description Luna 21 Overview
The Luna 21 mission involved the Soviet Union’s deployment of Lunokhod 2, a robotic lunar rover, onto the Moon in 1973. This was the second successful operation of a remote-controlled vehicle on another celestial body. The mission provided valuable data regarding lunar surface conditions and mobility testing for future exploration efforts. It is primarily relevant to historians, space scientists, and those interested in the early history of robotic planetary exploration.
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Where did Luna 21 land on the Moon?
Luna 21 delivered Lunokhod 2 to Le Monnier crater on the eastern edge of Mare Serenitatis in January 1973. The landing area offered varied terrain for geological observations and rover testing.
How was Lunokhod 2 controlled from Earth?
A Soviet ground team drove the rover using television images and telemetry transmitted from the Moon. Because radio commands took seconds to make the round trip, the drivers had to plan movements cautiously rather than steer in real time.
How far did Lunokhod 2 travel?
Modern analysis of orbital imagery places its total traverse at roughly 39 kilometres. This was substantially farther than Lunokhod 1 traveled during the earlier Luna 17 mission.
Why did the Luna 21 rover stop working?
Lunokhod 2 reportedly contacted a crater wall or disturbed lunar soil, allowing dust to contaminate its radiator area. The resulting thermal problems ended operations after several months on the surface.
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