[FPSPACE] FW: [lunar-update] Luna 1 - 50 years ago

[LARRY KLAES]

> Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 19:30:35 -0800> From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com> To: lunar-update at news.altair.com> Subject: [lunar-update] Luna 1 - 50 years ago> > Luna 1 - 50 years ago> > ---------------------------------------------------------------> http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCatalog.do?sc=1959-012A> Luna 1> > NSSDC ID: 1959-012A> Description> > Luna 1 was the first spacecraft to reach the Moon, and the first of a> series of Soviet automatic interplanetary stations successfully> launched in the direction of the Moon. The spacecraft was> sphere-shaped. Five antennae extended from one hemisphere. Instrument> ports also protruded from the surface of the sphere. There were no> propulsion systems on the Luna 1 spacecraft itself. Because of its> high velocity and its announced package of various metallic emblems> with the Soviet coat of arms, it was concluded that Luna 1 was> intended to impact the Moon.> > On 2 January 1959, after reaching escape velocity, Luna 1 separated> from its 1472 kg third stage. The third stage, 5.2 m long and 2.4 m in> diameter, travelled along with Luna 1. On 3 January, at a distance of> 113,000 km from Earth, a large (1 kg) cloud of sodium gas was released> by the spacecraft. This glowing orange trail of gas, visible over the> Indian Ocean with the brightness of a sixth-magnitude star, allowed> astronomers to track the spacecraft. It also served as an experiment> on the behavior of gas in outer space. Luna 1 passed within 5995 km of> the Moon's surface on 4 January after 34 hours of flight. It went into> orbit around the Sun, between the orbits of Earth and Mars.> > The spacecraft contained radio equipment, a tracking transmitter, and> telemetering system, five different sets of scientific devices for> studying interplanetary space, including a magnetometer, geiger> counter, scintillation counter, and micrometeorite detector, and other> equipment. The measurements obtained during this mission provided new> data on the Earth's radiation belt and outer space, including the> discovery that the Moon had no magnetic field and that a solar wind, a> strong flow of ionized plasma emmanating from the Sun, streamed> through interplanetary space.> > ---------------------------------------------------------------> > We are not alone, there are strange mechanical devices out there.> What will they find or have found?> > And what will we see in the future?> Let the kids know that exciting times are there for those that dream.> - LRK -> > Thanks for looking up with me.> > Larry Kellogg> > Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/> BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/> RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml> Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update> ==============================================================> http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/> snip> # Jan 02 - Asteroid 2 Pallas Occults TYC 7046-00691-1 (11.5 Magnitude Star)> # Jan 02 -New[Jan 01] Asteroid 2008 YC29 Near-Earth Flyby (0.009 AU)> # Jan 02 - Asteroid 2008 WQ63 Near-Earth Flyby (0.067 AU)> # Jan 02 - 5th Anniversary (2004), Stardust, Comet Wild 2 Flyby> # Jan 02 - 50th Anniversary (1959), Luna 1 Launch (1st Moon Flyby)> > snip> ==============================================================> http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/lunarussr.html> Soviet Lunar Missions> > The Soviet Lunar program had 20 successful missions to the Moon and> achieved a number of notable lunar "firsts": first probe to impact the> Moon, first flyby and image of the lunar farside, first soft landing,> first lunar orbiter, and the first circumlunar probe to return to> Earth. The two successful series of Soviet probes were the Luna (24> lunar missions) and the Zond (5 lunar missions).> > snip> ==============================================================> http://www.bautforum.com/space-exploration/83064-happy-50-anniversary-luna-1-a.html> Happy 50 anniversary, Luna 1!> Zvezdichko> > 50 years ago this day, the space probe of USSR "Luna 1" successfully> launched to the Moon. It was designed to hit our natural satellite,> but instead it flied by the Moon and became the first spacecraft to> enter the interplanetary space. It was then renamed "Dream" or> "Mechta".> > "Luna 1" also became the first artificial comet when a cloud of sodium> gas was released from the spacecraft. It also discovered that the Moon> doesn't have a magnetic field.> > So happy, happy 50th anniversary!!!> snip> ==============================================================> > WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK> > ==============================================================> This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com> https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update> This list is a moderated list.> The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg AT gmail.com> Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry.> ==============================================================> _______________________________________________> lunar-update mailing list, moderated by Larry Kellogg> To unsubscribe or change your options please visit:> http://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update> Forwarded by GNU Mailman at Altair Engineering, Inc. http://www.altair.com/> 
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