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Luna 1 spacecraft model
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Luna 1 spacecraft model
Luna 1 spacecraft model (centre) in the upper-stage launch vehicle (rocket) used to place it in space. Its five antennae are shown here. Luna 1, an unmanned probe, was the first spacecraft in the Soviet Moon exploration programme. Launched on 2 January 1959, it was the first spacecraft to attain escape velocity from the Earth. It was intended to impact the Moon, but missed and became the first spacecraft to enter an independent orbit around the Sun. Discoveries made by Luna 1 include the absence of a lunar magnetic field, the existence and extent of the solar wind, and details of the Earths radiation belts. Photographed in a Soviet museum in 1970
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Media ID 6301945
© RIA NOVOSTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
1900s 1950s 1959 Antenna Antennas Display Early Engineering Exhibition January Launch Vehicle Lunar Exploration Museum Pioneering Planetary Science Radiation Belt Radiation Belts Rocket Russia Russian Selenology Solar Wind Soviet Soviet Union Space Craft Space Flight Space Probe Space Race Unmanned Upper Stage Uss R Luna 1
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the Luna 1 spacecraft model, situated at the center of an upper-stage launch vehicle used to propel it into space. The intricate details of this pioneering technological marvel are on full display, with its five antennae prominently featured. Launched on 2 January 1959 as part of the Soviet Moon exploration program, Luna 1 holds a significant place in history as the first spacecraft to achieve escape velocity from Earth. Originally intended to impact the Moon, Luna 1 missed its target and instead became the inaugural spacecraft to enter an independent orbit around the Sun. Despite this unexpected trajectory, Luna 1 made groundbreaking discoveries that revolutionized our understanding of celestial bodies. Notably, it revealed the absence of a lunar magnetic field and provided crucial insights into both the existence and extent of solar wind. Additionally, Luna 1 unveiled intricate details about Earth's radiation belts. Captured within a Soviet museum in 1970, this photograph transports us back to a time when space exploration was still in its infancy. It serves as a testament to human ingenuity and scientific progress during one of humanity's most exciting eras—the Space Race between superpowers. With its historical significance and contribution to planetary science firmly established, Luna 1 remains an emblematic symbol not only for early Russian achievements but also for mankind's relentless pursuit of knowledge beyond our home planet.
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