Luna Ye-8-5 sample-return spacecraft
Luna Ye-8-5 was the Soviet robotic lunar sample-return spacecraft design flown by Luna 16, Luna 18, and Luna 20. The expendable station combined a soft-landing stage, automated sampler, direct-ascent return rocket, and compact Earth-entry capsule; Luna 16 and Luna 20 successfully returned lunar material while Luna 18 was lost during descent.
Follow this vehicle family
Alerts for directly linked future launches and major activity.
Identity
- Aliases
- E-8-5 sample-return spacecraftYe-8-5 lunar sample-return station
- Family Name
- Luna Ye-8-5
- Full Name
- Luna Ye-8-5 sample-return spacecraft
- Roles
- landersample_return
- Status
- retired
- Type
- spacecraft
Details
- Description
- Luna Ye-8-5 was the Soviet robotic lunar sample-return spacecraft design flown by Luna 16, Luna 18, and Luna 20. The expendable station combined a soft-landing stage, automated sampler, direct-ascent return rocket, and compact Earth-entry capsule; Luna 16 and Luna 20 successfully returned lunar material while Luna 18 was lost during descent.
- First Flight Year
- 1,970
- Last Flight Year
- 1,972
- Manufacturer
- Operator
- Spacecraft Specs
- Reusability
- expendable
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 29, 2026 at 08:52:25 UTC
- Updated Time
- July 29, 2026 at 08:52:25 UTC