Luna 17

Luna 17 delivered the Lunokhod 1 rover, the first successful robotic lunar rover in history. Lunokhod 1 operated for 322 days, travelling 10.54 km across Mare Imbrium.

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Agency / Country

Soviet Space Program (Soviet Union)

Mission Status

LANDED

Launch / Target Year

1970

Spacecraft / Type

Luna 17 / Lunokhod 1 rover

Landing Site Zone

Luna 17 / Lunokhod 1 Site (Mare Imbrium)

Surface Coordinates

Lat 38.24°, Lon -37.0°

Mission Imagery & Gallery

Luna 17 photograph 1: Roscosmos/Soviet Space Program — Lunokhod 1 rover on the lunar surface in Mare Imbrium, 1970–1971. (Public domain / Soviet Space Program) — Roscosmos/Soviet Space Program — Lunokhod 1 rover on the lunar surface in Mare Imbrium, 1970–1971. (Public domain / Soviet Space Program)

Primary Achievement

First successful lunar rover (Lunokhod 1)

Mission Objectives

Deploy and operate Lunokhod 1 — first robotic rover on the Moon
Traverse and photograph Mare Imbrium terrain
Study soil mechanics and surface properties
Test teleoperated mobility over extended period

Timeline Events

1970-11-10 — Launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome
1970-11-17 — Lands in Mare Imbrium; Lunokhod 1 deployed
1970-11-17 — Lunokhod 1 begins surface traverses
1971-10-04 — Last session with Lunokhod 1 — mission ends (10.54 km total)

Related Missions

Luna 21 (1973) · USSR

Historical & Technical Sources

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