3 Roubles LUNOKHOD

Reverse

The reverse of the coin features a relief image of the robotic lunar rover Lunokhod‑1 on the lunar surface against the background of coloured images of the Earth and the Sun; and the relief inscription on the left around the circumference ‘ЛУНОХОД’ (LUNOKHOD).

Script: Cyrillic

Lettering: ЛУНОХОД

Translation: LUNOKHOD

Engraver: Alexandra Arsenyevna Dolgopolova

Designer: Alexandra Arsenyevna Dolgopolova

Edge

300 corrugations

Comment

Date of issue 10 OCT 2022

On November 10, 1970, the unmanned spacecraft Luna-17 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Proton-K launch vehicle. Its mission was to deliver the world’s first robotic lunar rover, Lunokhod-1, to the Moon. After the first three stages and the upper stage of the rocket fired, the spacecraft was placed into a trajectory toward the Moon from an Earth parking orbit.

Luna-17 was specifically designed to transport Lunokhod-1 to the lunar surface, where the rover would conduct extensive research. Built at the Lavochkin Design Bureau No. 301 (now known as the Lavochkin Science and Production Association, part of the State Space Corporation Roscosmos), the spacecraft was entirely controlled from Earth.

Upon landing, the Luna-17 spacecraft examined the site and deployed its ramps. At 9:28 AM Moscow time, Lunokhod-1 descended from the landing platform to the lunar surface, marking the beginning of a new era in the exploration of Earth's natural satellite by unmanned spacecraft.

During its mission, Lunokhod-1 completed 116 movement sessions, traveling a total distance of 10,540 meters across the lunar surface and thoroughly examining an area of 80,000 square meters. The rover, with a maximum speed of 2 km/h, transmitted 200 telephotometric panoramas and approximately 20,000 slow-scan images back to Earth. These images, including stereoscopic views of key lunar features, provided detailed insights into the structure of the Moon’s surface.

Interesting fact

Price

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