Lunokhod 1
Model of a Soviet Lunokhod program rover | |
| Mission type | Lunar rover |
|---|---|
| COSPAR ID | 1970-095A |
| Website | Lunar and Planetary Department Moscow University Lunokhod 1 page |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 5,600 kilograms (12,300 lb) |
| Dry mass | 756 kilograms (1,667 lb) (rover only) |
| Power | 180 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | November 10, 1970 |
| Rocket | Proton-K/D |
| Launch site | Baikonur 81/23 |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | September 14, 1971 |
| Lunar rover | |
| Spacecraft component | Rover |
| Landing date | November 17, 1970, 03:47:00 UTC |
| Landing site | 38°14′16″N 35°00′06″W / 38.2378°N 35.0017°W |
Lunokhod 1 (Russian: Луноход-1 "Moonwalker 1"), also known as Аппарат 8ЕЛ № 203 ("Device 8EL No. 203") was the first robotic rover on the Moon and the first to freely move across the surface of an astronomical object beyond the Earth. Sent by the Soviet Union it was part of the robotic rovers Lunokhod program. The Luna 17 spacecraft carried Lunokhod 1 to the Moon in 1970. Lunokhod 0 (No.201), the previous and first attempt to land a rover, launched in February 1969 but failed to reach Earth orbit.
Although only designed for a lifetime of three lunar days (approximately three Earth months), Lunokhod 1 operated on the lunar surface for eleven lunar days (321 Earth days) and traversed a total distance of 10.54 km.