When did Luna 2 impact the Moon?
Luna 2 struck the Moon at 00:02:24 Moscow Time on the 14th of September 1959. The impact point sat approximately 0 degrees west and 29.1 degrees north of the visible disk center near Mare Imbrium.
Questions about Luna 2
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What scientific instruments were aboard Luna 2?
Five distinct scientific instruments traveled aboard Luna 2 including scintillation counters, Cherenkov detectors, STS-5 gas-discharge counters, a fluxgate magnetometer, and silver-zinc batteries. These tools measured ionizing radiation, electromagnetic radiation, electron spectra, magnetic fields, and powered all systems throughout the mission.
How many attempts failed before Luna 2 succeeded?
Six total efforts occurred to impact the lunar surface with five previous missions failing or missing their target. Two launches in 1958 exploded on the launchpad while three others failed later that year or in June 1959 before the successful final launch.
Where did Luna 2 land on the Moon?
The spacecraft landed near Mare Imbrium at coordinates 0 degrees west and 29.1 degrees north of the visible disk center. Observatories across Kazakhstan Armenia Georgia and Tajikistan watched the sodium vapor cloud expand after the impact.
Why was Luna 2 significant for the Space Race?
Luna 2 became humanity's first object to touch another celestial body proving Soviet engineers could successfully impact the Moon. This achievement shifted the balance of power as Nikita Khrushchev presented Eisenhower with replica pennants from the mission during his visit to Washington D.C.