Soviet’s ‘Luna 24’ successfully landed on moon on this day in 1976

On this day, August 18, 1976, Russia’s craft Luna 24 completed successful “soft landing” on  site of a large mass concentration on Moon. It was Soviet’s third attempt to obtain a soil sample from lunar surface at about 6.6 feet (2 meters) beneath moon’s land and return its rover to Earth. Kwn as Russia’s last and final lunar probe, mission delivered about six ounces (more than 170 grams) of soil to Soviet Union from  Mare Crisium region of Moon, according to NASA’s Solar system Exploration release.  

While Lunar 24 was launched on August 9, 1976, it entered lunar orbit on August 14. It mand to land on moon’s surface for first time on this day in history, August 18 which was a significant breakthrough for Russia after  launch failure in October 1975. August 19,  rover initiated sample collection from ‘mascon’ location. As per NASA, trajectory correction delayed Luna 24’s orbit entry on moon by at least three days. It touched down  lunar surface at 06:36 UT on Aug. 18, 1976, at 12 degrees 45 minutes rth latitude and 62 degrees 12 inches east longitude.  

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After appropriate commands from ground control, lander deployed its sample arm and pushed its drilling head about 6.6 feet (2 meters) into nearby soil, NASA wrote in release.

sample was safely stowed in small return capsule, and after nearly a day on Moon, Luna 24 lifted off successfully from Moon at 05:25 UT on Aug. 19, 1976, it added.

Collected “laminated” soil

After historic mission, Luna 24's capsule entered Earth's atmosphere at 05:55 UT on Aug. 23, 1976, about 124 miles (200 kilometers) souast of Surgut in western Siberia. Samples of soils, with “laminated” characteristics, were shared with NASA in December 1976. Prior to Lunar 24, Russia had launched over 20 successful missions to Moon and achieved a number of table lunar "firsts". Russia released ims of  flyby and  lunar farside, first soft landing, first lunar orbiter, and first circumlunar probe to return to Earth, also shared by NASA. 

[Samples of soils, with “laminated” characteristics brought by Luna 24. Credit: Russia Web]

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