Luna 12 (also called Lunik 12 or Object 02508 ) was the twelfth Soviet probe of the Programme Luna.

Luna 12 was launched towards the the Moon since an intermediate terrestrial orbit and put into orbit around the Moon the October 25th 1966. The probe carried a system of television making it possible to take and transmit images of lunar surface. The images comprised 1100 lines for a resolution ranging between 14,9 and 19,8 Mr. the stereotypes were retransmis the October 27th 1966. One does not know exactly the number of photographs which were delivered. The radio operator contact with the probe was lost the January 19th 1967 after 602 revolutions and 302 transmissions.

Characteristics mission

• Country: Union of the Soviet socialist republics
• Launch date: October 22nd 1966 with 08:38 min 00s (UTC)
• Site of launching: Tyuratam, Cosmodrome de Baïkonour (Kazakhstan)
• Launcher: SS-6 (Sapwood) modified with an upper floor of second generation + stage of release
• Mass: 1620 kg
• lunar Orbit
• Périapse: 1894,42 km
• Apoapse: 3476 km
• Slope: 4°
• Eccentricity: 0,31