Luna (rocket)

Short description: Model of carrier rocket

Luna 8K72

Blok E upper stage, with Luna payload

Function| Carrier rocket
Manufacturer| RKK Energia
Country of origin| Soviet Union
Size
Mass| 277,000 kg (611,000 lb)
Stages| 3
Capacity
Payload to LEO| 4,000 kilograms (8,800 lb)
Associated rockets
Family| R-7
Launch history
Status| Retired
Launch sites| Baikonur: LC-1/5
Total launches| 9
Successes| 3
Notable payloads| Luna probes
First stage (Block B, V, G, D)
Engines| 1 RD-107-8D74-1958
Thrust| 990.00 kN
Burn time| 120 seconds
Fuel| Kerosene/LOX
Second stage (Block A)
Engines| 1 RD-108-8D75-1958
Thrust| 936.500 kN
Burn time| 320 seconds
Fuel| RP-1/LOX
Third stage (Block E)
Engines| 1 RD-0105
Thrust| 49.0 kN
Burn time| 316 seconds
Fuel| Kerosene/LOX

The Luna 8K72 vehicles were carrier rockets used by the Soviet Union for nine space probe launch attempts in the Luna programme between 23 September 1958 and 16 April 1960.[1] Like many other Soviet launchers of that era, the Luna 8K72 vehicles were derived from the R-7 Semyorka design, part of the R-7 (rocket family), which was also the basis for the Vostok and modern Soyuz rocket.

## Launches

Luna 8K72 was launched nine times from Baikonur LC-1/5:[2]

Launch Date  | Serial No.  | LS  | Payload  | Result

|
|
|
|

23.09.1958  | B1-3  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna E-1 No.1 | Failure
11.10.1958  | B1-4  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna E-1 No.2 | Failure
04.12.1958  | B1-5  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna E-1 No.3 | Failure
02.01.1959  | B1-6  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna 1 | Success
18.06.1959  | I1-7  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna E-1A No.1 | Failure
12.09.1959  | I1-7B  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna 2 | Success
04.10.1959  | I1-8  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna 3 | Success
15.04.1960  | L1-9  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna E-3 No.1 | Partial Success
16.04.1960  | L1-9A  | Ba LC-1/5  | Luna E-3 No.2 | Failure

The first flight of a Luna 8K72 (September 1958), which was to launch the Luna E-1 No.1 probe, ended 92 seconds after launch when the rocket broke up from longitudinal ("pogo") oscillations, causing the strap-ons to separate from the vehicle, which then crashed downrange.[3]

The second flight of a Luna 8K72 (October 1958), which was to launch the Luna E-1 No.2 probe, ended 104 seconds after launch when the rocket again disintegrated from vibration.

The third flight of a Luna 8K72 (December 1958), which was to launch the Luna E-1 No.3 probe, ended 245 seconds after launch when the Blok A core stage shut down from loss of engine lubricant.

The resonant vibration problem suffered by the 8K72 booster was the cause of a major argument between the Korolev and Glushko design bureaus. It was believed that the vibrations developed as a consequence of adding the Blok E upper stage to the R-7, shifting its center of mass.

The first probe launched by a Luna 8K72 to reach orbit was Luna 1, launched on 2 January 1959, which was intended as a lunar impactor mission.[4] Luna 1 instead passed within 5,995 kilometres (3,725 mi) of the Moon's surface 4 January 1959, and then went into orbit around the Sun between the orbits of Earth and Mars.[5]

The fifth flight of a Luna 8K72 (18 June 1959), which was to launch the Luna E-1A No.1 probe, ended 153 seconds after launch due to a guidance malfunction of the Blok A core stage, leading to engine shutdown.[6]

Luna 2 was launched by a Luna 8K72 on 12 September 1959. It was the first spacecraft to impact the lunar surface.

The final successful launch of a Luna 8K72 took place on 4 October 1959. The Luna 3 spacecraft took the first photographs of the far side of the Moon.

The eighth flight of a Luna 8K72 (March 1960), which was to launch the Luna E-3 No.1 probe, ended 435 seconds after launch when the Blok E upper stage developed insufficient thrust, causing the Luna probe to reenter the atmosphere and burn up.

The ninth flight of a Luna 8K72 (April 1960), which was to launch the Luna E-3 No.2 probe, failed when the Blok G strap-on booster developed only 75% thrust at liftoff, breaking away from the launch vehicle, which then disintegrated, the strap-ons flying in random directions and exploding as they impacted the ground. The Blok A core stage then crashed into a salt lake.

## References

1. ↑ "Soyuz - Version: Luna 8K72". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/soyuz.htm.
2. ↑ "Vostok-L (8K72)" (in en). https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/vostok-l.htm.
3. ↑ "Tentatively Identified Missions and Launch Failures". NASA NSSDC. 2005-01-06. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/tent_launch.html.
4. ↑ "Soyuz - Soyuz Chronology". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/soyuz.htm.
5. ↑ "Luna 1 - NSSDC ID: 1959-012A". NASA. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1959-012A.
6. ↑ Reichl, Eugen (2017). Moskaus Mondprogramm. Paul Pietsch Verlage GmbH & Co (1. Auflage ed.). Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-613-04027-4. OCLC 987572365. https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/987572365.

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Soviet, Russian, and Ukrainian launch vehicles

Active|

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In development|

* Angara 1.2
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Retired|

* Dnepr
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Orbital launch systems

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Current|

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In development|

* Angara 1.2
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Retired|

* Antares 110/120/130/230
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* Symbol † indicates projects terminated before a successful orbital launch

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R-7 rockets

Main articles|

* R-7 family
* R-7 Semyorka

Rockets|

| Missiles|

* R-7 Semyorka
* R-7A Semyorka

|

Launch systems|

* Sputnik
* Polyot
* Voskhod

Vostok|

* Luna
* Vostok-L
* Vostok-K
* Vostok-2
* Vostok-2M

Molniya|

* Molniya
* Molniya-M
* Molniya-L

Soyuz|

* Soyuz/Vostok
* Soyuz
* Soyuz-L
* Soyuz-M
* Soyuz-U
* Soyuz-U2
* Soyuz-FG

Soyuz-2|

* Soyuz 2.1a / STA
* Soyuz 2.1b / STB
* Soyuz 2-1v

Launch sites|

| Baikonur|

* Site 1/5
* Site 31/6

|

Plesetsk|

* Site 41/1
* Site 16/2
* Site 43/3
* Site 43/4

Kourou|

* Ensemble de Lancement Soyouz

Vostochny|

* Site 1S

Launches|

* 1957–1959
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* 1975–1979
* 1980–1984
* 1985–1989
* 1990–1994
* 1995–1999
* 2000–2004
* 2005–2009
* 2010–2014
* 2015–2019
* 2020–2024

See also|

* Korolyov Cross
* Soyuz at the Guiana Space Centre
* RD-107 (engine)

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