Luna 22
Encyclopedia
Luna 22 was an unmanned space mission, part of the Soviet Luna program, also called Lunik 22.
Luna 22 was a lunar
orbit
er mission. The spacecraft carried imaging cameras and also had the objectives of studying the Moon
's magnetic field
, surface gamma ray emissions and composition of lunar surface rocks, and the gravitational field
, as well as micrometeorites and cosmic ray
s. Luna 22 was launched into Earth parking orbit
and then to the moon. It was inserted into a circular lunar orbit on 2 June 1974. The spacecraft made many orbit adjustments over its 18 month lifetime in order to optimize the operation of various experiments, lowering the perilune to as little as 25 km. Maneuvering fuel was exhausted on 2 September and the mission was ended in early November.
Luna 22 was the second of two "advanced" lunar orbiters (the first being Luna 19
) designed to conduct extensive scientific surveys from orbit. Launched about a year after the termination of Lunokhod 2
operations on the lunar surface, Luna 20 performed a single mid-course correction en route the Moon on 30 May before entering lunar orbit on 2 June 1974. Initial orbital parameters were 219 × 222 kilometers at 19°35' inclination. In addition to its primary mission of surface photography, Luna 22 also performed investigations to determine the chemical composition of the lunar surface, recorded meteoroid activity, searched for a lunar magnetic field, measured solar and cosmic radiation flux, and continued studies of the irregular magnetic field. Through various orbital changes, Luna 22 performed without any problems and continued to return photos fifteen months into the mission, although its primary mission had ended by 2 April 1975. The spacecraft's maneuvering propellant was finally depleted on 2 September, and the highly successful mission was formally terminated in early November 1975.
Luna 22 as of November, 2011, is the last Soviet or Russian lunar orbiter.
Luna 22 was a lunar
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
er mission. The spacecraft carried imaging cameras and also had the objectives of studying the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
's magnetic field
Magnetic field
A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude ; as such it is a vector field.Technically, a magnetic field is a pseudo vector;...
, surface gamma ray emissions and composition of lunar surface rocks, and the gravitational field
Gravitational field
The gravitational field is a model used in physics to explain the existence of gravity. In its original concept, gravity was a force between point masses...
, as well as micrometeorites and cosmic ray
Cosmic ray
Cosmic rays are energetic charged subatomic particles, originating from outer space. They may produce secondary particles that penetrate the Earth's atmosphere and surface. The term ray is historical as cosmic rays were thought to be electromagnetic radiation...
s. Luna 22 was launched into Earth parking orbit
Parking orbit
A parking orbit is a temporary orbit used during the launch of a satellite or other space probe. A launch vehicle boosts into the parking orbit, then coasts for a while, then fires again to enter the final desired trajectory...
and then to the moon. It was inserted into a circular lunar orbit on 2 June 1974. The spacecraft made many orbit adjustments over its 18 month lifetime in order to optimize the operation of various experiments, lowering the perilune to as little as 25 km. Maneuvering fuel was exhausted on 2 September and the mission was ended in early November.
Luna 22 was the second of two "advanced" lunar orbiters (the first being Luna 19
Luna 19
Luna 19 , was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program. Luna 19 extended the systematic study of lunar gravitational fields and location of mascons . It also studied the lunar radiation environment, the gamma-active lunar surface, and the solar wind...
) designed to conduct extensive scientific surveys from orbit. Launched about a year after the termination of Lunokhod 2
Lunokhod 2
Lunokhod 2 was the second of two unmanned lunar rovers landed on the Moon by the Soviet Union as part of the Lunokhod program....
operations on the lunar surface, Luna 20 performed a single mid-course correction en route the Moon on 30 May before entering lunar orbit on 2 June 1974. Initial orbital parameters were 219 × 222 kilometers at 19°35' inclination. In addition to its primary mission of surface photography, Luna 22 also performed investigations to determine the chemical composition of the lunar surface, recorded meteoroid activity, searched for a lunar magnetic field, measured solar and cosmic radiation flux, and continued studies of the irregular magnetic field. Through various orbital changes, Luna 22 performed without any problems and continued to return photos fifteen months into the mission, although its primary mission had ended by 2 April 1975. The spacecraft's maneuvering propellant was finally depleted on 2 September, and the highly successful mission was formally terminated in early November 1975.
Luna 22 as of November, 2011, is the last Soviet or Russian lunar orbiter.
- Launch Date/Time: 1974-05-29 at 08:57:00 UTC
- On-orbit dry mass: 4000 kg