Luna 26
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Maquette of Luna-26 Moon orbiter
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Names |
Luna-Resurs-Orbiter
Luna-Resurs O |
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Mission type | Lunar reconnaissance |
Operator | Roscosmos |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Luna |
Launch mass | 2,100 kg (4,600 lb) [1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 2027 (planned) [2] |
Rocket | Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat |
Launch site | Vostochny Site 1S |
Contractor | Roscosmos |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Selenocentric orbit |
Regime | Polar orbit |
Periselene altitude | 80 km |
Aposelene altitude | 50 km |
Moon orbiter | |
Luna 26 ( Luna-Resurs-Orbiter [3] or Luna-Resurs O [4] ) is a planned lunar polar orbiter, part of the Luna-Glob program, by Roscosmos . In addition to its scientific role, the Luna 26 orbiter would also function as a telecomm relay between Earth and Russian landed assets. [1] This mission was announced in November 2014, and its launch is planned for 2027 on a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle . [2]
Overview
The Luna 26 orbiter mission has been in planning since at least 2011. [1] Originally it was envisioned to be launched to the Moon together with the lunar lander Luna 27 which will land on the South Pole–Aitken basin , an unexplored area on the far side of the Moon , [5] [4] [6] but because of mass limitations, they will be launched separately. [1] The orbiter's mass is about 2100 kg. [1]
The objective of the orbiter is to locate and quantify natural lunar resources that can be exploited by future landed missions. [7] After completion of its primary mission, the spacecraft's orbit will be raised to about 500 km altitude to study cosmic rays . [3]
International collaboration
The European Space Agency (ESA) had intended to contribute to this and other Luna-Glob missions in the manner of communications, precision landing, hazard avoidance, drilling, sampling, sample analysis and ground support. [8] [9] ESA cooperation with Russia on Luna 26 was discontinued on 13 April 2022 as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine . [10]
As of October 2017, the U.S. space agency NASA was negotiating and assessing a potential collaboration with the Luna-Glob missions Luna 25 through Luna 28 . [11]
In September 2019, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Roscosmos signed two agreements on scientific cooperation and coordination between Luna 26 and the upcoming Chang'e 7 lunar polar orbiter. [12]
Scientific payload
The scientific payload on board the orbiter is composed of fourteen instruments [1] that will be fabricated by Russia and by some European partners. [1] The payload will study the lunar surface and the environment around the Moon, including the solar wind , and high-energy cosmic rays . [1] The orbiter may carry some NASA instruments, or instruments from private U.S. companies. [11] Luna 26 will also scout sites for the planned Luna 27 landing mission. [13]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Luna-Glob Orbiter (Luna-Glob 2/Luna 26 Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com 10 October 2014
- 1 2 "Launch dates for Luna-26 and Luna-27 will be specified based on the results of the release of technical projects (translated)" . TASS. 27 February 2023 . Retrieved 10 March 2023 .
- 1 2 Russian Moon exploration program Russian Research Institute (IKI) 2017
- 1 2 "ESA's plans for Lunar Exploration" (PDF) . European Space Agency (ESA). 2014 . Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
- ↑ Ghosh, Pallab (16 October 2015). "Europe and Russia mission to assess Moon settlement" . BBC News . Retrieved 16 October 2015 .
- ↑ "Russia-ESA Lunar Exploration Cooperation: Luna Mission Speed Dating" . European Space Agency (ESA). 17 February 2014 . Retrieved 18 October 2015 .
- ↑ Sources of materials at the three high-priority landing sites of the Luna-Glob mission M. A. Ivanov, A. M. Abdrakhimov, A. T. Basilevsky, N. E. Demidov, E. N. Guseva, J. W. Head, H. Hiesinger, A. A. Kohanov, S. S. Krasilnikov; The Eighth Moscow Solar System Symposium, 2017
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↑
Exploring and Using Lunar Polar Volatiles
International Strategic Coordination
Published by NASA
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
- ↑ "Luna-Glob" and "Luna-Resurs": science goals, payload and status Mitrofanov, Igor; Dolgopolov, Vladimir; Khartov, Viktor; Lukjanchikov, Alexandr; Tret'yakov, Vlad; Zelenyi, Lev; Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 16, EGU2014-6696, EGU General Assembly 2014
- ↑ "Redirecting ESA programmes in response to geopolitical crisis" . ESA (Press release). 13 April 2022 . Retrieved 16 April 2022 .
- 1 2 Foust, Jeff (13 October 2017). "NASA studying potential cooperation on Russian lunar science missions" . SpaceNews . Retrieved 17 September 2019 .
- ↑ "Russia, China agree on joint Moon exploration" . TASS. 17 September 2019 . Retrieved 17 September 2019 .
- ↑ The "Simplest Satellite" That Opened up the Universe Zelenyi, Lev; Zakutnyaya, Olga; American Scientist; Research Triangle Park , Vol. 105, Issue 5, (September/October 2017): 282-289
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