Luna Ye-8-5M sample-return spacecraft
Luna Ye-8-5M was the improved deep-drilling variant of the Soviet Ye-8-5 lunar sample-return station, flown by Luna 23 and Luna 24. It replaced the earlier swing-arm sampler with a mechanism capable of recovering a deeper core; Luna 23 was damaged at touchdown, while Luna 24 returned the program’s third robotic lunar sample.
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Identity
- Aliases
- E-8-5M sample-return spacecraftImproved Ye-8-5 lunar sample-return station
- Family Name
- Luna Ye-8-5
- Full Name
- Luna Ye-8-5M sample-return spacecraft
- Roles
- landersample_return
- Status
- retired
- Type
- spacecraft
- Variant Name
- Ye-8-5M
Details
- Description
- Luna Ye-8-5M was the improved deep-drilling variant of the Soviet Ye-8-5 lunar sample-return station, flown by Luna 23 and Luna 24. It replaced the earlier swing-arm sampler with a mechanism capable of recovering a deeper core; Luna 23 was damaged at touchdown, while Luna 24 returned the program’s third robotic lunar sample.
- First Flight Year
- 1,974
- Last Flight Year
- 1,976
- Manufacturer
- Operator
- Parent Vehicle Family
- Spacecraft Specs
- Launch Mass Kg
- 5,795
- Reusability
- expendable
Links
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- July 29, 2026 at 08:52:38 UTC
- Updated Time
- July 29, 2026 at 08:52:38 UTC