# Luna E-1 No.3

> Soviet spacecraft

**Wikidata**: [Q556016](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q556016)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_E-1_No.3)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/luna-e-1-no-3

## Summary
Luna E-1 No.3 was a Soviet spacecraft launched on December 4, 1958, as part of the Luna E-1 series. It was launched from Gagarin's Start at the Baikonur Cosmodrome using the Luna 8K72 rocket, following the Luna E-1 No.2 mission and preceding the Luna 1 probe.

## Key Facts
- **Launch date**: December 4, 1958
- **Launch site**: Gagarin's Start, Baikonur Cosmodrome
- **Launch vehicle**: Luna 8K72
- **Part of series**: Luna programme
- **Preceded by**: Luna E-1 No.2
- **Followed by**: Luna 1
- **Instance of**: Luna E-1 class
- **Aliases**: ルナ E-1 3号, Луна-1С
- **Significant event**: Rocket launch on December 4, 1958

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Luna E-1 No.3?
A: Luna E-1 No.3 was part of the Soviet Luna programme, which aimed to explore the Moon. It followed the Luna E-1 No.2 mission and preceded the Luna 1 probe.

### Q: Where was Luna E-1 No.3 launched from?
A: Luna E-1 No.3 was launched from Gagarin's Start at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 4, 1958.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Luna E-1 No.3?
A: The Luna E-1 No.3 was launched using the Luna 8K72 rocket.

### Q: What missions preceded and succeeded Luna E-1 No.3?
A: Luna E-1 No.3 was preceded by Luna E-1 No.2 and succeeded by Luna 1.

### Q: What is the Luna E-1 series?
A: The Luna E-1 series was a family of Soviet lunar probes, with Luna E-1 No.3 being one of them.

## Why It Matters
Luna E-1 No.3 was part of the Soviet Union's early efforts to explore the Moon, contributing to the broader Luna programme. Its launch and subsequent missions helped pave the way for more advanced lunar exploration. The spacecraft's role in the Luna series demonstrates the Soviet Union's commitment to space exploration during the Cold War era. While specific details about its mission objectives and outcomes are limited, it represents a key step in the Soviet space programme's lunar ambitions.

## Notable For
- **Part of the Luna E-1 series**: Luna E-1 No.3 was one of several spacecraft in the Luna E-1 class, contributing to the Soviet Luna programme.
- **Launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome**: The spacecraft was launched from Gagarin's Start at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, a significant site in Soviet space history.
- **Used the Luna 8K72 rocket**: The Luna E-1 No.3 was launched using the Luna 8K72 rocket, which was part of the Soviet space programme's early lunar exploration efforts.
- **Preceded and succeeded by other missions**: Luna E-1 No.3 was part of a sequence of missions, following Luna E-1 No.2 and preceding Luna 1, highlighting its role in the Soviet lunar exploration timeline.

## Body
### Mission Overview
Luna E-1 No.3 was launched on December 4, 1958, as part of the Soviet Luna programme. It was launched from Gagarin's Start at the Baikonur Cosmodrome using the Luna 8K72 rocket. The mission followed the Luna E-1 No.2 and preceded the Luna 1 probe.

### Launch Details
- **Launch date**: December 4, 1958
- **Launch site**: Gagarin's Start, Baikonur Cosmodrome
- **Launch vehicle**: Luna 8K72

### Series and Classification
- **Part of series**: Luna programme
- **Instance of**: Luna E-1 class

### Preceding and Succeeding Missions
- **Preceded by**: Luna E-1 No.2
- **Followed by**: Luna 1

### Additional Information
- **Aliases**: ルナ E-1 3号, Луна-1С
- **Significant event**: Rocket launch on December 4, 1958

## Schema Markup
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  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Luna E-1 No.3",
  "description": "Soviet spacecraft launched on December 4, 1958, as part of the Luna E-1 series.",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456789", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_E-1_No.3"],
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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013