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Mission record

Luna 18

Also known as Lunik 18, Automatic Station Luna, Luna18

U.S.S.R · Launched

Explore trajectory

Failed · Failure

A Soviet lunar sample return attempt lost when communications ceased at the moment of landing.

Destinations
Moon
Launch vehicle
Proton Booster Plus Upper Stage and Escape Stages
Launch site
Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), U.S.S.R
Countries
Soviet Union
Mission types
Lander, Sample return

Chronology

Mission timeline

  1. Launch

    Luna 18 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome

  2. Orbit insertion

    Luna 18 entered lunar orbit, the firing sequence stopping 15 seconds early

    Moon

  3. Impact

    Signals ceased, assumed to be the moment of impact near Mare Fecunditatis

    The page gives 07:47:16.5 UT. Recorded at minute precision because the page qualifies the moment as assumed rather than observed.

    Moon

Mission architecture

Vehicles

  • Luna 18 · Lander

    Destinations: Moon

Trajectory record

Trajectory dataset not yet available

No verified trajectory dataset is committed for this mission, so Mission Atlas renders no path.

Provenance

Sources

Each source is listed once and labeled with the mission, event, trajectory, or destination/body context it supports.

Data verified through August 27, 2026