# Luna E-3 No.2

> lunar mission

**Wikidata**: [Q1877346](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1877346)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_E-3_No.2)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/luna-e-3-no-2

## Summary
Luna E-3 No.2 was a Soviet lunar probe launched on April 16, 1960, as part of the Luna programme. It was designed to explore the Moon but was preceded by the failed Luna E-3 No.1 mission.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date**: April 16, 1960
- **Operator**: Academy of Sciences of the USSR
- **Launch Vehicle**: Luna 8K72 rocket
- **Launch Site**: Gagarin's Start
- **Part of Series**: Luna programme
- **Preceded by**: Luna E-3 No.1 (destroyed in a launch accident)
- **Followed by**: Luna E-6 No.2 (failed to achieve planned orbit)
- **Aliases**: Луна-4В
- **Sitelink Count**: 14
- **Wikipedia Languages**: Available in bg, bn, ca, de, en, hu, it, ka, nl, pt

## FAQs
### Q: What was the purpose of Luna E-3 No.2?
A: Luna E-3 No.2 was a lunar probe designed to explore the Moon as part of the Soviet Luna programme.

### Q: When was Luna E-3 No.2 launched?
A: Luna E-3 No.2 was launched on April 16, 1960.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch Luna E-3 No.2?
A: The Luna 8K72 rocket was used to launch Luna E-3 No.2.

### Q: What happened to the mission before Luna E-3 No.2?
A: The preceding mission, Luna E-3 No.1, was destroyed in a launch accident.

### Q: What followed Luna E-3 No.2?
A: The mission that followed, Luna E-6 No.2, failed to achieve its planned orbit.

## Why It Matters
Luna E-3 No.2 is significant as part of the early Soviet efforts to explore the Moon. As a lunar probe, it contributed to the broader Luna programme, which aimed to gather scientific data and demonstrate technological capabilities during the Space Race. The mission, along with its predecessors and successors, highlights the challenges and advancements in space exploration during the 1960s. Understanding these early missions provides insight into the development of space technology and the competitive dynamics of the Cold War era.

## Notable For
- Being part of the Luna programme, a series of Soviet lunar missions.
- Launched using the Luna 8K72 rocket, a model specifically designed for lunar missions.
- Following the failed Luna E-3 No.1 mission, which was destroyed in a launch accident.
- Preceding the Luna E-6 No.2 mission, which also faced challenges in achieving its planned orbit.
- Contributing to the early exploration of the Moon and the advancement of space technology.

## Body
### Overview
Luna E-3 No.2 was a lunar probe launched by the Soviet Union on April 16, 1960. It was part of the Luna programme, which aimed to explore the Moon and gather scientific data.

### Launch Details
- **Launch Date**: April 16, 1960
- **Launch Vehicle**: Luna 8K72 rocket
- **Launch Site**: Gagarin's Start

### Mission Context
- **Operator**: Academy of Sciences of the USSR
- **Part of Series**: Luna programme
- **Preceded by**: Luna E-3 No.1 (destroyed in a launch accident)
- **Followed by**: Luna E-6 No.2 (failed to achieve planned orbit)

### Technical Specifications
- **Aliases**: Луна-4В
- **Sitelink Count**: 14
- **Wikipedia Languages**: Available in bg, bn, ca, de, en, hu, it, ka, nl, pt

### Significance
Luna E-3 No.2 is notable for its role in the early exploration of the Moon and the advancement of space technology. It is part of a series of missions that highlight the challenges and achievements of the Soviet space programme during the Space Race.

## Schema Markup
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{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Luna E-3 No.2",
  "description": "A Soviet lunar probe launched on April 16, 1960, as part of the Luna programme.",
  "sameAs": ["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206855", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_E-3_No.2"],
  "additionalType": "Lunar probe"
}

## References

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