Lunokhod 2
Also known as Luna 21 rover
Second Soviet lunar rover, delivered by Luna 21 to Le Monnier crater, which drove roughly 39 kilometres in under four months.
| Maker | NPO Lavochkin and VNII Transmash |
|---|---|
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Launched | 1973 |
| Status | Retired |
| Mass | 840 kg |
| Distance driven | 39 km |
| Actuation | Eight independently driven wheels with individual motors and brakes |
| Power | Lid mounted solar panel with polonium 210 radioisotope heater |
| Sensors | Three television cameras, panoramic telephotometers, boom mounted magnetometer, photodetector, solar X-ray experiment, laser retroreflector |
| Autonomy | Teleoperated from Earth using television guidance |
Lunokhod 2 landed on 15 January 1973 and explored the boundary between Le Monnier crater and the Taurus mountains, driving faster than its predecessor thanks to a third television camera and an improved navigation system. Power came from a lid mounted solar panel with a polonium 210 heater for the lunar night, turning the same eight wheel chassis. It surveyed the local magnetic field and a nearby rille before its open lid scooped dust onto the radiator in May 1973, causing the rover to overheat.
Of note
- Held the off world driving record for four decades
- Agreed traverse of about 39 km, re estimated near 42 km from orbital imagery
- Carried a French laser retroreflector still used for ranging
Maker: www.laspace.ru