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LANDING SITEMare Fecunditatis highlands
LAT3.53°
LON56.55°
MOON
Feb 21, 1972
LANDING DATE
1972
4 days
MISSION DURATION
TOTAL
-150 to 120 C
SURFACE TEMP
AT LANDING SITE
5,600
KG
MASS
3
INSTRUMENTS
SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD
Luna 20 is a sample return lander mission by NPO Lavochkin on Moon. Landed February 21, 1972. Landing site: Mare Fecunditatis highlands.
ABOUT LUNA 20
Luna 20 was the second successful Soviet robotic sample return mission. Unlike Luna 16 which sampled a mare region, Luna 20 landed in the highlands between Mare Fecunditatis and Mare Crisium. The drill encountered harder regolith than expected, but still retrieved 55 grams of material. Analysis revealed the highland soil had a different composition from mare basalt, with higher aluminum and calcium content, supporting the lunar magma ocean hypothesis.
KEY DISCOVERIES
- Returned 55 grams of highland lunar soil
- Highland composition with higher aluminum and calcium
- Anorthositic material confirming lunar magma ocean hypothesis
TECHNOLOGY & FIRSTS
- Landed in highland terrain near the Apollonius C crater
- Second successful robotic sample return
- Drill operated in harder highland regolith
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS (3)
Drill sampling arm
Television cameras
Return capsule
SPACECRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
Mass5,600 kg (12,348 lbs)
PowerBattery
CommunicationsRadio transmitter
Design Life5 days
Landing DateFebruary 21, 1972
Mission EndFebruary 25, 1972
ProgramLuna
SURFACE DATA
Surface Temperature-150 to 120 C
OTHER MOON LANDERS
🚀 LAUNCH MISSION