Luna 10 / E-6S Credit - NASA

The E-6S artificial lunar satellite was designed for the investigation of circumlunar space; development of onboard systems for putting a station into a selenocentric (circumlunar) orbit. Scientific instruments included a gamma-ray spectrometer for energies between 0.3--3 MeV, a triaxial magnetometer, a meteorite detector, instruments for solar-plasma studies, and devices for measuring infrared emissions from the Moon and radiation conditions of the lunar environment.

Gravitational studies were also conducted. The spacecraft played back to Earth the `Internationale' during the Twenty-third Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Battery powered and operated for 460 lunar orbits and 219 active data transmissions before radio signals were discontinued.

Typical orbit: 168 km x 180 km at 52 degrees inclination. Mass: 1,597 kg (3,520 lb). Main Engine: KTDU-5A. Associated Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M.

• 1966 April 4 - L1 and Voskhod - Program: Voskhod, Lunar L1. Flight: Voskhod 4, Voskhod 5, Voskhod 6.

  The Luna 10 robot orbiter has successfully entered moon orbit, conducted two radio communications sessions, including broadcast back to the earth of the "International", the Socialist hymn, to the 23rd Party Congress. Bushuev from OKB-1 is seeking cosmonaut representatives for the commission that will inspect the mock-up of the L1 circumlunar spacecraft. Kamanin nominates Gagarin, Komarov, Nikitin, Frolov, Smirnov, and others. Kamanin informs OKB-1 that he has obtained the support of the PVO and RVSN for the completion and flight of Voskhod s/n 7, 8, and 9. A letter to Smirnov asking for those fights to be conducted will be drafted.

• 1966 March 1 - Cosmos 111 - Program: Luna. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M. FAILURE: The escape stage Block L lost roll control during unpowered coast in parking orbit because the axis of the course regulator of the control system jammed in the zero position. The stage's engine was not fired. Mass: 6,540 kg (14,410 lb). Perigee: 168 km (104 mi). Apogee: 180 km (110 mi). Inclination: 51.80 deg. Period: 88.00 min.

• 1966 March 31 - Luna 10 - Program: Luna. Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Molniya 8K78M. Mass: 1,597 kg (3,520 lb).

  Lunar Orbit (Selenocentric). Development of system to permit the creation of an artificial lunar satellite for the investigation of circumlunar space; development of onboard systems for putting a station into a selenocentric (circumlunar) orbit. Orbit: Lunar Orbiter. The Luna 10 spacecraft was launched towards the Moon from an Earth orbiting platform. The spacecraft entered lunar orbit 3 50 x 1017 km, inclination 71.9 deg to plane of the lunar equator. on April 4, 1966. Scientific instruments included a gamma-ray spectrometer for energies between 0.3--3 MeV, a triaxial magnetometer, a meteorite detector, instruments for solar-plasma studies, and devices for measuring infrared emissions from the Moon and radiation conditions of the lunar environment. Gravitational studies were also conducted. The spacecraft played back to Earth the `Internationale' during the Twenty-third Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Luna 10 was battery powered and operated for 460 lunar orbits and 219 active data transmissions before radio signals were discontinued on May 30, 1966.

• Kamanin, N P, Skritiy kosmos, Infortext, Moscow, 1995. The diary of the Commander of the Soviet Cosmonaut Team in the 1960's - a source of great insights into the space program. Four volumes issued to date.

• NASA Report, Investigation of the magnetic field from the AMS Luna-10, . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670009630_1967009630.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, Measurements of the magnetic field in the vicinity of the moon on the AMS Luna-10, . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670002918_1967002918.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, Results of experiments for the detection of lunar ionosphere carried out on the first moon's artificial satellite /Luna-10/, . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670003908_1967003908.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, In Orbit Around The Moon - First Scientific Results of The Flight of Luna-10, . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660014421_1966014421.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, Luna-10 In Orbit Around The Moon, . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660016256_1966016256.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, Luna-10 Completed It's Program of Scientific Investigations, . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660024107_1966024107.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• National Space Science Center Planetary Page, As of 19 February 1999.. Accessed at: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planetary_home.html.

• Novosti Kosmonavtiki, "Otmenenniy Start "Molniya-M"", 1997, Issue 1, page 29.

• Varfolomyev, Timothy, Spaceflight, "Soviet Rocketry that Conquered Space - Part 5", 1998, Volume 40, page 85. 1: Sp 95/37-260; Sp 96/38-31 (8K71 launches); 2: Sp 96/38-48; 3: Sp 96/38-206; Sp 96/38-317 (designatons); 4: Sp 98/40-28; 5:Sp 98/40-85

• JPL Mission and Spacecraft Library, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1997. Accessed at: http://msl.jpl.nasa.gov/home.html.

• Krebs, Gunter, Gunter's Space Page, University of Frankfurt, 1996. Accessed at: http://www.skyrocket.de/space.

• NASA Report, Possible interpretation of the results of measurements on the near-lunar satellite ''AMS Luna-10'', . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670019546_1967019546.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• USAF Satellite Database, USAF Institute of Technology, 1995. Accessed at: ftp://archive.afit.af.mil/pub/space/.

• NASA Report, Luna-10 transmits photographs, . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670002405_1967002405.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• NASA Report, Investigation of cosmic radiation on the AMS ''Luna-10'', . Accessed at: http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19670002909_1967002909.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!