Luna 3

Luna 3 (also called Lunik 3 or Object 00021 ) was the first space engine to transmit photographs of the hidden side of the the Moon.

The automatic probe retransmit only of the stereotypes of bad quality, but by data processing one managed to produce from those the first atlas of the hidden side. Very broken, this one proved extremely different from the visible face. One distinguishes there only two baptized dark areas Mare Moscovare (Sea of Moscovie) and Mare Desiderii (Sea of the dreams). Following other observations, one realized that Mare Desiderii was in fact made up of a smaller sea, Mare Ingenii (Sea of ingeniousness) and several other craters.

Platform and subsystems

The external structure of the probe consisted mainly of a cylinder at the hemispherical ends provided with a thick flange close to the higher end. The probe was 130 cm long for a going diameter of 95 cm for the principal cylindrical part to 120 cm on the level of the flange. This structure was tight and pressurized with height of 0.23 atmosphere. The chemical batteries installed inside the structure were supplied by the solar cells laid out on the external cylinder. Mobile shutters of thermal control were also assembled along the cylinder, making it possible to increase the radiative surface of the satellite if the internal temperature exceeded 25°C. The objective of the camera was located in the higher hemisphere. The probe was equipped with six antennas, four at the top and two with the back. Other scientific instruments were also assembled outside the structure in particular of the detectors of Micrométéorite S and cosmic radiation. The control of attitude was ensured by engines gases located at the lower end of the platform. The orientation compared to the Moon and with the Sun was obtained thanks to photoelectric sensors. On the other hand, the platform did not have rockets enabling him to correct its trajectory. The interior of the structure contained the camera like its chain of acquisition and reading of films, the control system of attitude and its gyroscopic unit, the batteries and of the ventilators for the thermal regulation. The platform was stabilized by an operation of spin then directly radio-controlled since the Earth.

The system of Phototélévision Yenisey-2

The system of imagery of Luna-3, Yenisey-2, was composed of a camera with double lens, an automatic system of unfolding of film and of a scanner. One of the two lenses had a focal distance of 200 mm for an opening of f/5.6, while the second had a focal distance of 500 mm for an opening of f/9.5. The camera carried 40 catches of an isochromatic film 35 mm resistant to the temperature and radiations. The objective of 200 mm could tally the totality of the lunar disc while the objective of 500 mm could concentrate on a smaller area. The pointing of the camera was carried out by the rotation of the platform. A photocell made it possible the probe to locate the the Moon and to direct the objective towards it. The detection of the Moon ordered the opening of the obturator and the beginning of the catch of sights. Once the series of stereotypes completed, the film was transmitted to an embarked photo laboratory where it was successively developed, fixed and dried. Following orders transmitted since the Earth, the film was transmitted towards the scanner where it was projected on a photoelectric multiplier by means of a cathode tube. The luminous point ravelled along the negative one, the multiplier converting the luminous intensity crossing the negative one into electrical signal, signal which was then transmitted towards the Earth. A catch could thus be scannée with a resolution of 1000 lines. The transmission was carried out with a flow reduced to long distance from the Earth and great flow at short distance.

Course of the mission

After its launching on a quasi-polar trajectory, the stage of release (Blok-E) was extinguished by the operators on the ground as soon as the probe reached speed necessary to its lunar mission. The first contacts radios with the probe did not bring only of the good news: the signal of the probe twice weaker than was awaited and the internal temperature increased abnormally. The axis of spin of the satellite was reorientated and the extinction of a certain number of equipment made it possible to bring back the temperature of 40°C to 30°C. At a distance ranging between 60  000 km and 70  000 km of the Moon, the orientation system were activated and the rotation of the stopped platform. The end lower of the probe arised vis-a-vis the Sun which lit the hidden side then. At the time of sound closer passage, on October 6th, 1959 with 14:16 (UTC), the probe flew over the Moon with less 6  200 km of altitude towards the south pole then carried on its road towards the hidden side. October 7th, the photocell detected the hidden side, then enlightened by the Sun, which started the photographic sequence. The very first image was taken with 03:30 (UTC) with 63  500 km of altitude and the last 40 minutes later with 66  700 km. On the whole, 29 catches were carried out covering 70% of the hidden side. Once the completed sequence, the probe took again its movement of spin, passed to the vertical of the lunar north pole then started its voyage return towards the Earth. The attempts at retransmission of the images towards the Earth began on October 8th but were unfruitful because of the weakness of the signal. As the probe approached the Earth the situation improved and 17 exploitable photographs although disturbed could be taken delivery of until October 18th. Any contact with the probe was lost on October 22nd. It is supposed that the probe burned in the high layers of the atmosphere in March or April 1960, but it is possible that it was maintained in orbit until 1962.

Characteristics mission

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