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LOCATIONLe Monnier Crater
LAT25.83°
LON30.92°
DISTANCE TRAVELED42.0 km
DAYS ACTIVE139
42.0
KM TRAVELED
TOTAL DISTANCE
26.10 mi
139
DAYS
SURFACE OPERATIONS
80,000
PHOTOS
IMAGES CAPTURED
840
KG
ROVER MASS
1,852 lbs
2 km/h
TOP SPEED
MAXIMUM VELOCITY
Lunokhod 2 is a moon rover by Soviet Space Program. Landed January 15, 1973. Operating at Le Monnier Crater. Has traveled 42.0 km.
ABOUT LUNOKHOD 2
Lunokhod 2 was the second Soviet robotic lunar rover, delivered to the Moon by the Luna 21 spacecraft. It traveled an astonishing 42 km across the lunar surface in Le Monnier crater on the eastern edge of Mare Serenitatis, a distance record that stood for over 40 years until surpassed by Opportunity on Mars in 2014. The mission ended after the rover’s solar panels were contaminated with lunar dust when it accidentally drove into a crater, causing overheating.
KEY DISCOVERIES
- Explored transition zone between mare and highland terrain
- Measured local magnetic field anomalies on the Moon
- Detailed soil mechanics data across varied terrain
- Returned over 80,000 TV images and 86 panoramas
TECHNOLOGY & FIRSTS
- Held off-Earth driving distance record until 2014 (42 km)
- Third-person camera for navigation
- Improved solar panel deployment over Lunokhod 1
- Laser retroreflector still functional
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS (9)
Television cameras (3 panoramic)
RIFMA X-ray fluorescence spectrometer
Magnetometer
Photodetector (UV/visible)
Soil mechanics tester
Laser retroreflector (French-built)
Radiation detector
Visible light photometer
Astrophotometer
SPACECRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
Wheels8
Mass840 kg (1,852 lbs)
Dimensions2.3m long, 1.5m wide, 1.35m tall
Top Speed2 km/h
PowerSolar panels + polonium-210 heater (180W)
CommunicationsLow-gain antenna, omnidirectional, direct to Earth
Design Life3 lunar days (3 months)
Landing DateJanuary 15, 1973
Mission EndJune 3, 1973
ProgramLuna
🏢 OPERATOR