# Luna 24 Descent Craft

> The last of the Luna series of spacecraft, the Luna 24 probe was the third Soviet mission to retrieve lunar ground samples

**Wikidata**: [Q112960050](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112960050)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/luna-24-descent-craft

## Summary
The Luna 24 Descent Craft was the final spacecraft in the Soviet Luna series and the third Soviet mission to retrieve lunar surface samples.

## Key Facts
- It was the last of the Luna series of spacecraft.
- It was launched on August 9, 1976 from Tyuratam.
- It was launched using a Proton-K carrier rocket.
- It had the COSPAR ID 1976-081E and NSSDC ID 1976-081E.
- It was the third Soviet mission to retrieve lunar ground samples.

### Q: What was the Luna 24 Descent Craft?
A: It was the final spacecraft in the Soviet Luna series and the third Soviet mission to retrieve lunar surface samples.

### Q: When was the Luna 24 Descent Craft launched?
A: It was launched on August 9, 1976 from Tyuratam.

### Q: What rocket launched the Luna 24 Descent Craft?
A: It was launched using a Proton-K carrier rocket.

## Why It Matters
The Luna 24 Descent Craft represents the culmination of the Soviet Union's lunar exploration program, which had been ongoing since the 1950s. As the final mission in the Luna series, it marked the end of a decade-long effort to study the Moon's surface and return samples to Earth. The mission's success demonstrated the Soviet Union's continued capability in space exploration and lunar sample return technology, contributing to our understanding of the Moon's geology and history. The mission's significance lies in its role as the third and final Soviet effort to retrieve lunar samples, providing valuable scientific data that continues to inform lunar research today.

## Notable For
- It was the last spacecraft in the Luna series of lunar missions.
- It was the third Soviet mission to retrieve lunar ground samples.
- It was launched using a Proton-K carrier rocket.
- It had the COSPAR ID 1976-081E and NSSDC ID 1976-081E.
- It was the final Soviet lunar sample return mission before the end of the Cold War space race.

## Body
### Technical Specifications
The Luna 24 Descent Craft was designed as a spacecraft specifically for lunar surface operations. It was part of the Luna program, which was the Soviet Union's series of unmanned lunar exploration missions. The spacecraft was equipped with instruments for sampling and returning lunar soil to Earth.

### Launch and Mission Profile
The Luna 24 mission was launched from the Tyuratam launch site on August 9, 1976. It used a Proton-K carrier rocket for its launch, which was a heavy-lift vehicle capable of placing large payloads into orbit. The spacecraft followed a trajectory to the Moon, entering lunar orbit, and then descending to the lunar surface to collect samples.

### Scientific Objectives
The primary objective of the Luna 24 mission was to retrieve lunar surface samples for scientific analysis. This was the third Soviet mission to accomplish this, following the success of Luna 16 and Luna 20 missions. The collected samples provided valuable information about the Moon's composition and geological history.

### Mission Success
The Luna 24 mission was successful in its primary objective, returning lunar samples to Earth. This mission marked the end of the Soviet Union's lunar sample return program and represented a significant achievement in space exploration technology. The samples collected contributed to our understanding of the Moon's formation and evolution.

## References

1. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1976-081A)
2. Jonathan's Space Report