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Luna 19 | font size="+1"> Luna 19 | | olspan="2" bgcolor="#000000" align="center" font size="-1" color="#ffffff"| | | b> Organization: | Soviet Union | | b> Major Contractors: | GSMZ Lavochkin | | b> Mission Type: | Planetary Science
Lunar orbiter | | b> Satellite of: | Moon | | b> Launch: | September 28, 1971 at 10:00:22 UTC | | b> Launch Vehicle: | Proton 8K82K + Blok D | | b> Mission Highlight: | Entered lunar orbit on
October 3, 1971 | | b> Mission Duration: | ~388-days ~October 20, 1972 | | b> Mass: | 5,700 kg, 5,600 kg dry | | b> NSSDC ID: | 1971-082A | | b> Webpage: | NASA NSSDC Master Catalog | | olspan="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#skyblue"|Orbital elements | | b> Semimajor Axis: | 6,517.8 km | | b> Eccentricity: | .18 | | b> Inclination: | 40.58 | | b> Orbital Period: | 121.13 minutes | | b> Apogee: | 140 km | | b> Perigee: | 140 km | | b> Orbits: | ~4,315 | | olspan="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#skyblue"|Instruments | | b> Imaging system : | Lunar photography | | b> Gamma-ray spectrometer : | | | b> Radio altimeter : | Lunar soil composition | | b> Meteoroid detectors : | | | b> Magnetometer : | Lunar magnetic field | | b> Cosmic-ray detectors : | | | b> Radiation detectors : | Lunar radiation environment | Luna 19 was an unmanned space mission of the Luna program, also called Lunik 19. Luna 19 extended the systematic study of lunar gravitational fields and location of mascons (mass concentrations). It also studied the lunar radiation environment, the gamma-active lunar surface, and the solar wind. Photographic coverage via a television system was also obtained. Luna 19 was the first of advanced lunar orbiters whose design was based upon the same Ye-8-class bus used for the lunar rovers and the sample collectors. For these orbiters, designated Ye-8LS, the basic lander stage was topped off by a wheelless Lunokhod-like frame that housed all scientific instrumentation in a pressurized container. Luna 19 was launched into an earth parking orbit on 28 September, and, from this orbit, was sent toward the Moon. Luna 19 entered orbit around the Moon on 2 October 1972 after two midcourse corrections on 29 September and 1 October. Initial orbital parameters were 140 x 140 kilometers at 40.58 inclination. Soon after, the spacecraft began its main imaging mission to provide panoramic images of the mountainous region of the Moon between 30 and 60 south latitude and between 20 and 80 east longitude. Other scientific experiments included extensive studies on the shape and strength of the lunar gravitation field and the locations of mascons. Occultation experiments in May and June 1972 allowed scientists to determine the concentration of charged particles at an altitude of 10 kilometers. Additional studies of the solar wind were evidently coordinated with those performed by the Mars 2 and 3 orbiters and Veneras 7 and 8. Communications with Luna 19 were terminated sometime between 3 and 20 October 1972 after a year of operations, during more than 4,000 revolutions of the Moon.
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